The Republican Party thought they had the recent Wisconsin election in the bag. Boy, were they wrong!
Politics
The main event in the April 7th Wisconsin election was the primary contest between Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. However, a lesser-known state Supreme Court battle between a conservative incumbent and a liberal challenger was also on the ballot.
Most states postponed their primary elections in order to protect voters from congregating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, Wisconsin was not one of them. In fact, Republicans in the dairy state put thousands of voters in danger by forcing them to either head to the polls to cast their ballots in person or else forfeit their vote altogether.
Wisconsin’s GOP-led legislature was asked to change state law to allow voters to receive absentee ballots they could cast by mail. The Republicans refused. They were then asked to postpone the Wisconsin election so that voters wouldn’t have to choose between their health and their civic duty. Again, Republicans said no. In fact, not only did they say no, but they filed multiple lawsuits to make it as difficult as possible for Wisconsin residents to vote.
Why, exactly, did they do this?
It’s because GOP officials believed pressing forward with an election during a deadly health crisis was the best way to ensure a Republican victory in their state Supreme Court election.
Conservative justice Daniel Kelly was on the ballot and was expected by state Republicans to help the party with voter purges, district gerrymandering, and other electoral schemes just in time for the November 2020 general election. In fact, Kelly was anointed by Donald Trump himself, who was almost certainly pulling strings behind the scenes to secure a victory for the conservative incumbent.
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Too bad for Republicans their plan backfired.
“Dane County Circuit Judge Jill Karofsky won the race for Wisconsin Supreme Court, narrowing the conservative majority after a tumultuous election conducted in the midst of a global pandemic, according to unofficial results released Monday,” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. “Karofsky’s victory marked the first time in a dozen years that a Supreme Court challenger beat an incumbent — and just the second time in more than half a century. Her win over Justice Daniel Kelly will shift conservative control of the court from 5-2 to 4-3.”
Yes, Republicans thought they could cheat their way to victory by forcing an election during a stay-at-home order by daring voters to put themselves at risk. Little did they know Wisconsin voters were willing to put their lives on the line for democracy and justice. Voters turned out by the droves donning masks and rubber gloves, hell-bent on casting their ballots and solidifying their future.
The voters of Wisconsin won. The Donald Trump-led Republicans in Wisconsin lost. Badly!
Could the Wisconsin election be a sign of things to come in November?
OK WASSUP! discusses Politics:
The Wisconsin election backfired on the GOP.
“Could the Wisconsin election be a sign of things to come in November?” – DJ
Your darn skippy it could…but only if WE (the majority of Americans) turn out to vote!
Thanks for posting on this DJ. Had hoped you would because I really do believe it speaks volumes of Our fierce and collective Determination to defeat Trump and his minions.