1995 Wisconsin Supreme Court election
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County results Bradley: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Crooks: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1995 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on April 4, 1995 to elect a justice to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. The Incumbent justice, Chief Justice Nathan Heffernan, retired after nearly 31 years on the court. Although the Wisconsin Supreme Court justices are considered nonpartisan, Heffernan was identified as a liberal and voted with other liberals on the court.[1] Wisconsin circuit court judge Ann Walsh Bradley defeated fellow circuit court judge N. Patrick Crooks.
Primary election
Candidates
Advanced
- Ann Walsh Bradley, Circuit court judge for the Marathon County circuit, branch 3[2]
- N. Patrick Crooks, Circuit court judge for the Brown County circuit, branch 6
Eliminated in primary
- William A. Pangman, attorney
- Patience D. Roggensack, attorney
- Ted E. Wedemeyer Jr., former Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for District I
Declined
- Nathan Heffernan, incumbent justice
Primary campaign
Bradley, a liberal with bipartisan support, attempted to maintain a level of political independence in her campaign. She criticized Crooks' campaign for emphasizing his endorsements from Republican governor Tommy Thompson and members of his administration.[3] In response, Bradley touted her own set of bipartisan support and endorsements, which included former Democratic governor Tony Earl and Sue Ann Thompson – Tommy Thompson's wife. In addition, Bradley criticized attempts to polarize the race along party lines, arguing that the most qualified person should be the one to get the nomination.[3]
Primary results
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Walsh Bradley | 131,889 | 38.85% | |
| N. Patrick Crooks | 88,913 | 26.19% | |
| Ted E. Wedemeyer Jr. | 64,668 | 19.05% | |
| Patience D. Roggensack | 41,303 | 12.16% | |
| William A. Pangman | 12,753 | 3.76% | |
| Total votes | 339,526 | 100.0% | |
General election
General campaign
After advancing to the general election, Bradley reiterated her desire to see the race politicized by her opponents.[5] During the campaign, Bradley was identified as a liberal and had gained the endorsements of several liberal judges in the state. During the campaign, Crooks identified himself as a conservative, and was aligned with Republicans, who worked on his campaign.[5]
Results
| Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Walsh Bradley | 514,588 | 54.82% | N/A | |
| N. Patrick Crooks | 424,110 | 45.18% | N/A | |
| Majority | 90,478 | 9.64% | ||
| Total votes | 938,698 | 100.0% | ||
See also
References
- ^ Ball, Alan (April 5, 2023). "A Liberal High-Water Mark?". Retrieved March 30, 2025.
- ^ Thayer, Kelly C. (April 21, 1994). "Bradley announces candidacy". Wausau Daily Herald. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Miller, Cliff (December 19, 1994). "Justice candidate wants politics out of race". The Post-Crescent. p. 3. Retrieved April 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (1995). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1995-1996 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 879. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
- ^ a b Segall, Cary (February 19, 1995). "Bradley: three long years stressing judicial credentials". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 10. Retrieved April 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (1995). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1995-1996 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 883-884. Retrieved March 30, 2025.