Justice Ann Walsh Bradley will not run for re-election; potential candidates express interest

MADISON - Longtime Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley announced Thursday she will not seek another term on the state's highest court, a move that creates an open seat next year for control of the court.

Walsh Bradley, a liberal justice who has served on the court since 1995, said in a statement she will leave the court at the end of her term in July 2025, indicating she will not step down to allow Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to appoint a justice to serve the remainder of her term.

"My decision has not come lightly. It is made after careful consideration and reflection. I know I can do the job and do it well. I know I can win re-election, should I run. But, it's just time to pass the torch, bring fresh perspectives to the court," Walsh Bradley, who is 73, said in the statement. Supreme Court justices are elected to 10-year terms in Wisconsin.

Liberal justices took control of the court in 2023 for the first time in years with the election of Janet Protasiewicz, a former Milwaukee Circuit Judge — a race that focused on the future of abortion access in Wisconsin and became the most expensive in the nation's history.

Walsh Bradley's departure sets up an open race for a seat that will determine control of the court again. Former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel has already announced a campaign for the seat.

Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor confirmed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that she is considering a bid and will have conversations about it in the coming days. Taylor was elected to the Madison-based District IV court in August 2023. She previously served three years as a circuit court judge, and prior to that, nine years in the state Assembly. Before being elected to the Legislature, Taylor served as policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford is also considering a run. Crawford was elected to the court in August 2018 and was previously a partner with the Pines Bach law firm.

"Today, I’m focused on appreciating the long service of Justice Ann Walsh Bradley and thanking her for her dedication to justice and the people of Wisconsin. I appreciate the encouragement I’m receiving to consider running for the Supreme Court, and will have more to say about that in the coming weeks," Crawford said in a statement.

Bradley’s departure will mean a loss of significant institutional knowledge for the court, said former Justice Janine Geske, who served on the court with her in the 1990s. Geske noted that applies not just to previous rulings but to the court’s inner workings and administrative decisions.

“There are pluses and minuses to it,” Geske said, adding that the court always has to readjust when one-seventh of the body changes. She likened it to “bringing a future in-law into a Thanksgiving dinner and then talking about controversial topics.”

“But that's not all bad. Because people have to explain why they do things the way they do or question things that maybe haven't been questioned before. And you get to hear a different voice,” Geske said.

Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com. Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Justice Ann Walsh Bradley will not run for re-election