Democrat wins Wisconsin race that Republicans insisted on holding despite coronavirus pandemic
Channel: Breaking News
Date: 2020-04-14

Democrat wins Wisconsin race that Republicans insisted on holding despite coronavirus pandemic

Democrats claimed victory Monday in a Wisconsin Supreme Court election that Republicans insisted on holding last week despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Liberal Dane County Judge Jill Karofsky defeated conservative Justice Daniel Kelly, an incumbent backed by President Donald Trump, in a race for a 10-year seat on the state's Supreme Court. Karofsky declared victory and Kelly conceded Monday evening as votes were still being counted in the close contest.
The outcome is an embarrassment for state and national Republicans, who had blocked Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' bid to postpone the election or have it conducted entirely by mail and had fought in court against rules that would have made it easier to cast absentee ballots -- leaving Wisconsin the only state to go forward with in-person voting in April.
A federal judge had ordered Wisconsin to wait six days before counting the votes cast last Tuesday, giving absentee ballots that were postmarked by election day time to arrive at clerks' offices.
Republican state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald's insistence on in-person voting led to long lines in Democratic strongholds like Milwaukee, where the city reduced its planned 180 polling places to just five that were open on election day.
Vos volunteered as a poll worker in Burlington, appearing in full protective gear -- gloves, a mask and a gown -- while telling voters that "you are incredibly safe to go out."