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Republicans have a big problem. No, not the guy who got indicted. At least not directly.
The most significant election of 2023 went to the Democrats on Tuesday, as liberal Wisconsin judge Janet Protasiewicz defeated her conservative rival Dan Kelly to flip the 4-3 majority on the state Supreme Court.
The outcome was a big achievement for Democrats, who rallied supporters and raised money across the country for what would normally be a little-noticed (and officially nonpartisan) contest. Protasiewicz made abortion rights a centerpiece of her campaign, and with her victory the court is now expected to overturn Wisconsin's abortion ban rooted in a 19th century statute.
Protasiewicz's win continues a pattern of Democratic successes in the midterms and in other contests that we have seen ever since Donald Trump captured the White House in 2016. The results are especially remarkable given President Joe Biden's unpopularity nationally.
In particular, the Wisconsin contest marked another election fought about abortion in which Republicans came up short. Ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, Democrats have been on the offensive on reproductive rights, deploying resources and driving voter turnout. Republicans don't appear to have an answer, and Democrats will read the Wisconsin results as yet another reason to campaign hard on the issue.
The other big policy outcome from the Wisconsin Supreme Court vote will involve districting. Wisconsin Republicans have established unusually strong partisan gerrymanders for both chambers of the state legislature and for the state's U.S. House districts. As a result, Republicans hold large majorities in both legislative chambers and control 6 of 8 U.S. House seats, even though the state is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. The new Democrat-aligned majority on the state Supreme Court could undo the legislative maps drawn by Republicans, a change that might allow Democrats to pick up two U.S. House seats and challenge the GOP's hold on the state legislature.