Judge Janet Protasiewicz’s historic win in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election earlier this year attracted national attention and set the stage for significant Democratic victories in the state. Her victory not only shattered previous national fundraising records but also resulted in the first left-leaning majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 15 years.
This shift in the court’s composition has significant implications for future legal battles in Wisconsin. Republicans currently hold six out of eight U.S. House seats in the state, but with a liberal court majority, there is a possibility of a lawsuit to overturn Wisconsin’s Republican-drawn legislative maps. Nicole Safar, the executive director of the Madison-based law firm Law Forward, has already announced plans to file a lawsuit once Justice-elect Protasiewicz is sworn in on August 1st.
Moreover, Wisconsin is expected to be a pivotal swing state in the 2024 presidential election, similar to its role in the 2016 and 2020 elections. In 2016, Donald Trump won the state by a slim margin of 0.7 percent, and in 2020, Joe Biden narrowly defeated Trump by 0.62 percent. If election lawsuits arise in Wisconsin after the 2024 election, as they did in 2020, Judge Protasiewicz will be one of the seven justices deciding the case.
The importance of Judge Protasiewicz’s win was underscored by the America Votes Wisconsin director and senior leadership team, who stated that her election sent a clear message about the type of state Wisconsin residents want to live in. They believe that the left-leaning court majority will protect fundamental freedoms such as abortion rights, voting rights, workers’ rights, and LGBTQ+ rights.
America Votes played a crucial role in Protasiewicz’s victory, coordinating a massive campaign effort. The organization’s coalition knocked on over 535,000 doors, made 678,000 phone calls, delivered nearly 2 million pieces of mail, and sent over 4 million text messages. Their efforts were instrumental in delivering historic voter turnout and securing a progressive win in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election.
America Votes, founded in 2003, is a 501(c)(4) organization that serves as the coordination hub for the progressive community. It partners with more than 400 state and national organizations to advance progressive policies, win elections, and protect voting rights. Their partners include influential organizations like Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NAACP, Sierra Club, and the LGBTQ Victory Fund, among many others.
As a 501(c)(4) organization, America Votes is allowed to engage in partisan activity to some extent. However, it focuses on non-partisan, education-focused programs to engage voters. Nevertheless, the organization openly acknowledges its efforts to help Democrats counteract the increase in GOP voters in the 2022 midterms.
One factor that contributes to America Votes’ considerable power is its significant support from mega-donors such as George Soros’ Open Society Foundation and the Sixteen Thirty Fund. In 2021 alone, the Open Society Foundation granted nearly $30 million to America Votes, with one grant alone amounting to $23.85 million. Similarly, the Sixteen Thirty Fund granted America Votes nearly $129 million in 2020, making it the largest grant awarded by the group that year.
Critics like Scott Walter, the president of Capital Research Center, consider the Sixteen Thirty Fund a “massive ‘dark money’ network” that allows big campaign donors to hide their identities while exerting influence. The increase in funding from the Sixteen Thirty Fund likely facilitated America Votes’ contributions to other organizations, as their total donations increased from under $14.3 million in 2018 to nearly $60 million in 2020.
Overall, Judge Janet Protasiewicz’s win in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election marked a turning point for progressives in the state. With the backing of organizations like America Votes and support from mega-donors, the outcome has far-reaching implications for future legal battles and elections in Wisconsin.
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