KEY POINTS
- Judge Jennifer Dorow made headlines for overseeing the Darrell Brooks trial, the man guilty of killing six and injuring dozens more in the Waukesha Christmas Parade.
- Dorow is a judge for the Waukesha County Circuit Court in WI, and she was appointed over a decade ago by former Governor Scott Walker in 2011.
- Jennifer Dorow, 51, has never run for a statewide office. However, being the high-profile, recognizable judge she is right now, this would be an ideal time to throw her hat into the ring, which is exactly what Republicans are urging her to do.
- Today, conservatives possess a 4-3 majority in the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
- Dorow doesn’t have much time to decide whether or not she will be running for Supreme Court. Candidates can begin getting nomination signatures on December 1, which are due immediately after the holidays on January 4.
Judge Jennifer Dorow made headlines for overseeing the Darrell Brooks trial, the man guilty of killing six and injuring dozens more in the Waukesha Christmas Parade. Now, she is a top choice among Republicans to run next year in hopes of securing a conservative majority on a Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Dorow is a judge for the Waukesha County Circuit Court in WI, and she was appointed over a decade ago by former Governor Scott Walker in 2011.
Ed Fallone, from Marquette University Law School, commented, “This spring’s supreme court race is shaping up to be highly consequential in the state of Wisconsin.
Mark Graul with Arena Strategy Group also stated, “We have seen lawsuits filed, like I said, just about every single, significant public policy issue that the state has tackled over the last decade-plus. I think we can expect that to continue in the future.”
Previously, the state supreme court has ruled in favor of the then-Governor Scott Walker’s Act 10 and blocked absentee ballot drop boxes. The justices also ruled against former President Donald Trump’s dispute over the 2020 election results. The justices ruled against the Evers administration’s “Safer at Home” order and mask mandates during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also picked GOP-drawn legislative district maps.
Fallone mentioned, “The court is the arbiter between a very politicized, polarized state, and it’s important.” He adds, “There’s this underlying dispute between the legislature, controlled by Republicans, and the executive, controlled by Democrats, and the court stands in the middle. These are very significant issues for the future citizens and residents of our state.”
Today, conservatives possess a 4-3 majority in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. One of them is Justice Brian Hagedorn, who has decided to side with progressives and Democrats on some critical matters. Another Justice, Patience Roggensack, is retiring. Her retirement leaves a seat that was once Republican up for grabs. Fortunately, Jennifer Dorow has reportedly been considering joining the race.
Jennifer Dorow, 51, has never run for a statewide office. However, being the high-profile, recognizable judge she is right now, this would be an ideal time to throw her hat into the ring.
Graul commented about Dorow, “I think she is exploring the possibility. Talking to people who know about running campaigns, because obviously there’s a campaign associated with this, and to people who care about judicial races and the law and things of that nature, and most importantly, talking to her friends and family.”
Dorow doesn’t have much time to decide whether or not she will be running for Supreme Court. Candidates can begin getting nomination signatures on December 1, which are due immediately after the holidays on January 4.
Two extreme progressives would be running against Dorow, Dane County Judge Everett Mitchell, and Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz. We will also see former Justice Daniel Kelly, a conservative like Dorow, participating in the race.
The spring primary is set for February 21, 2023, and the top two candidates will be moving on to the general election in April 2023. The winner will secure a 10-year term on the bench.
