Big news from Wisconsin’s highest court! A conservative justice is stepping down, calling out “bitter partisanship” and a shift away from principled judicial service. What does this mean for the state’s liberal-controlled Supreme Court and the critical issues on its docket? The political landscape just got a lot more interesting.
Justice Rebecca Bradley, a prominent conservative justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, has announced she will not seek re-election, a decision that ignites an open race for a pivotal seat and underscores the dramatic ideological shift within the state’s highest judicial body. Her departure leaves a significant court vacancy and highlights the escalating judicial politics that have come to define Wisconsin’s judicial landscape.
In her statement, Justice Bradley cited an “alarming shift” towards “bitter partisanship” and “political gamesmanship” within the court as primary reasons for her decision. She expressed a belief that her efforts to rebuild the conservative movement and advocate for liberty would be more effective outside the bench, rather than as a minority member in a court increasingly shaped by liberal ideologies.
This announcement arrives on the heels of challenging state elections for conservatives in Wisconsin, where judicial candidates have faced double-digit losses in the past two high-stakes contests. These races, which broke national spending records, have collectively contributed to the fundamental restructuring of the state’s judiciary, reflecting a broader trend in Wisconsin politics.
The current composition of the Wisconsin Supreme Court now stands with a 4-3 liberal majority, a shift cemented in 2023 that ended a 15-year period of conservative control. Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming April election to fill Justice Bradley’s seat, the liberal majority is projected to hold firm until at least 2028, with the potential to expand to a 5-2 advantage if they secure another victory next year.
The open court vacancy comes at a critical juncture, as the Wisconsin Supreme Court is poised to address a series of high-profile and deeply divisive issues. These include fundamental debates surrounding abortion rights, the scope of collective bargaining, contentious congressional redistricting efforts, and crucial revisions to state election rules, all of which carry immense implications for the state’s future.
Justice Rebecca Bradley, aged 54, was initially appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2015 by then-Governor Scott Walker, subsequently winning a full ten-year term in 2016. Her prior judicial career included serving as a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge and a state appeals court judge, establishing her reputation as a staunch conservative justice throughout her tenure.
Throughout her time on the bench, Justice Bradley was a reliable conservative voice, consistently aligning with the court’s right-leaning faction on key decisions. Notably, she supported the Act 10 law that curtailed collective bargaining rights for most state workers and sided with conservative justices in the unsuccessful 2020 challenge by President Donald Trump to overturn his election loss in Wisconsin.
Her departure not only creates an immediate challenge for the conservative movement but also amplifies the ongoing ideological struggle within Wisconsin’s top court. The upcoming election to fill this court vacancy will undoubtedly be a battleground for judicial politics, further shaping the direction of state law and governance for years to come in Wisconsin’s evolving political landscape.
