Republicans in D.C. Are Fuming Over Wisconsin’s New Liberal-Majority Court

“They believe they have to overturn what has happened previously,” Rep. Tom Tiffany said.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz
Before Justice Janet Protasiewicz joined, the court tended to side with Republicans. Ruthie Hauge/AP

The new liberal majority on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has been putting in work, particularly on elections — much to the horror of Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation.

“I’ve always been concerned about the radical leftists on the Wisconsin Supreme Court being super-legislators and legislating from the bench,” Sen. Ron Johnson said. “It’s very unfortunate.”

For the first time in 15 years, Wisconsin has a Supreme Court controlled by liberals following last year’s high-stakes election. It was the most expensive state judicial election in the nation’s history, racking up over $47 million in spending across contributions to candidate campaigns, independent expenditures and undisclosed issue ads. Outside spending skyrocketed: While it ranged up to about $5 million per race in the SCOWIS elections from 2007-2020, it was nearly $29 million for this one.