2020 Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates Taking Shape

Three candidates have announced they will run for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the April 2020 election. Conservative Justice Daniel Kelly announced on May 28 that he will run to keep his seat. Challenging him so far are liberal candidates Dane County Judge Jill Karofsky and Marquette University Law School Professor Ed Fallone. A primary to narrow the race down to two candidates will be held in February 2020.

Kelly was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Scott Walker in 2016. Kelly’s previous experience includes working in private practice, as vice president and general counsel for the Kern Family Foundation, and as a law clerk at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. Kelly is a former president of the Milwaukee chapter of the Federalist Society.

Dane County Judge Jill Karofsky announced her campaign on May 23. Karofsky is a former deputy district attorney for Dane County and was previously the executive director of the state Department of Justice Office of Crime Services. She was elected to the Dane County Circuit Court in 2017.

Also running for Supreme Court in 2020 is Marquette University Law School Professor Ed Fallone, who announced his campaign in March. Fallone previously ran and lost to Chief Justice Roggensack in 2013.

With conservative Judge Brian Hagedorn joining the court this fall, the court will have a 5-2 conservative majority come the 2020 election.