Donald Trump, the former president, continues to present a challenge to any Republican who wishes to run for office. Candidates must decide whether they want to support Trump’s legacy or reject it. Not every one of them is choosing wisely.
On April 4, voters in Wisconsin chose between Daniel Kelly (R) and Janet Protasiewicz (D) to fill the state’s open Supreme Court seat. It was a crucial election since the outcome would determine whether the court would eventually have a liberal or conservative majority.
George Soros, a billionaire on the left, generously funded Protasiewicz’s campaign for circuit court judge. Kelly struggled to raise money; Protasiewicz was able to raise five times as much money to support her campaign. However, Kelly could have raised his profile by receiving the support of our previous president, but he didn’t want to.
WI Supreme Court candidate distanced from Trump during campaign #NationalFile #Wisconsin #SupremeCourt #DonaldTrump #Electionhttps://t.co/aKBIOnKmxi
— National File (@NationalFile) April 6, 2023
March 29, one week out from the election. Kelly discussed his campaign with NBC News. When the interviewer questioned Kelly about whether he would present a last-minute Trump endorsement, Kelly responded, “We’re not looking for one.” When the interviewer pressed him further about whether he’d welcome one if Trump backed him anyway, Kelly said he would “have to take a look at it” and determine if it sent a message with which he approved.
In the end, Kelly’s wager was a failure. As a result of Protasiewicz’s convincing 14-point victory over him, Wisconsin will now have a liberal-majority Supreme Court until another vacancy occurs. Trump supported him when he stood for the court in 2020, but he was unsuccessful.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, is a state that the GOP can take. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) ran and won on a pro-Trump, pro-MAGA platform during the midterm elections in November. When taking a closer look, Johnson triumphed in many of the same counties where Kelly was defeated. Kenosha County was won by Johnson by five points and lost by Kelly by eight. Grant County was won by Johnson by 13 points and lost by Kelly by 3. With Trump’s support, he might not have performed better, but Johnson undoubtedly did.
