by Benjamin Yount
Jennifer Dorow’s bid for Wisconsin Supreme Court got a big boost.
Retiring Justice Patience Roggensack on Monday endorsed Dorow in the race for the court. Roggensack, whose seat Dorow is running to fill, heaped praise on her.
“Judge Dorow has been one of the most respected jurists in Wisconsin for many years,” Roggensack said in a statement. “She is a leader amongst judges in our state. She has repeatedly ruled in ways that show her knowledge of the law and a fair and even-handed treatment of all.”
Dorow earned national attention for her handling of the Waukesha Christmas Parade trial last fall. She used that as a springboard to jump into this spring race for the state Supreme Court.
Dorrow is running against former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly, who is running as a tested-and-true conservative.
Roggensack on Monday vouched for Dorow’s conservative bona fides.
“Judge Dorow knows the proper role of a judge is to say what the law is – not what it ought to be,” Roggensack added. “I am confident Judge Dorow will make an excellent addition to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and she has my unequivocal support.”
There are two liberal candidates running for the court as well. Dane County Judge Everett Mitchell and Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz will also be on the nonpartisan primary ballot next month.
Wisconsin’s race for the Supreme Court is expected to be hotly contested as well as expensive.
A win for the liberal justices would swing control of the court, while a win for a conservative justice will maintain a conservative majority.
Voters will narrow the field in the primary on February 21st, and make their final choices on Election Day on April 4th.
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Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Jennifer Dorrow” by State Bar of Wisconsin.
