1995 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

none March 2025 March 2025 1995 Wisconsin Supreme Court election Wisconsin presidential No 1994 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 1994 1996 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 1996 April 4, 1995 File:Justice Bradley 2004 (cropped).jpg Ann Walsh Bradley c0c0c0 514,588 54.82% Justice Crooks 2009 (cropped).jpg N. Patrick Crooks c0c0c0 424,110 45.18% 1995 Wisconsin Supreme Court election results map by county.svg 250px County resultsBradley: #51C2C2 50–60% #2AACAC 60–70% #009696 70–80%Crooks: #FF9A50 50–60% #EE8E50 60–70% #D69850 70–80% Justice Nathan Heffernan Ann Walsh Bradley 1985 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 1985 2005 Wisconsin Supreme Court election 2005 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.Ball Alan April 5, 2023 A Liberal High-Water Mark? https://scowstats.com/2023/04/05/a-liberal-high-water-mark/ March 30, 2025 Wisconsin circuit court judge Ann Walsh Bradley (a liberal) defeated fellow circuit court judge N. Patrick Crooks (a conservative). Primary election Candidates Advanced Ann Walsh Bradley, Circuit court judge for the Marathon County circuit, branch 3Thayer Kelly C. April 21, 1994 Bradley announces candidacy https://www.newspapers.com/article/wausau-daily-herald-bradley-for-justice/145272947/ April 12, 2024 Wausau Daily Herald 1 Newspapers.com 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., district 1 judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals (1982–88; since 1992)The Associated Press Seven Vie for Seat on State Supreme Court; Candidates Focus On Variety of Issues https://www.newspapers.com/image/416679696/ Newspapers.com subscription Chippewa Herald-Telegram April 16, 2026 7A February 3, 1996Wedenmeyer and Bugge Best for High Court https://www.newspapers.com/image/397193088 Newspapers.com subscription The Capital Times April 16, 2026 12 February 4, 1996 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.Miller Cliff December 19, 1994 Justice candidate wants politics out of race https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-bradley-independent/145273251/ April 12, 2024 The Post-Crescent 3 Newspapers.com 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. Primary results thumb|Primary results by county: #51C2C2 Bradley #ACF2F2 Bradley—30–40% #7DDDDD Bradley—40–50% #51C2C2 Bradley—50–60% #2AACAC Bradley—60–70% #009696 Bradley—70–80% #008080 Bradley—80–90% #FFB580 Crooks #FFCCA9 Crooks—30–40% #FFB580 Crooks—40–50% #EE8E50 Crooks—60–70% #FFC5DA Wedemeyer #FFC5DA Wedemeyer—30–40% 1995 Wisconsin Supreme Court primary electionhttp://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1995 State of Wisconsin 1995-1996 Blue Book State of Wisconsin 1995 Madison, Wisconsin Barish Lawrence S. Elections in Wisconsin 879 March 30, 2025 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% 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.Segall Cary February 19, 1995 Bradley: three long years stressing judicial credentials https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-bradley-justice/145274231/ April 12, 2024 Wisconsin State Journal 10 Newspapers.com 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. Bradley was endorsed by the outgoing justice, Heffernan.Segall Cary 6 Big Names Back Crooks; Fine Calls That "Worthless" https://www.newspapers.com/image/398382069 Newspapers.com subscription Wisconsin State Journal April 16, 2026 3B March 7, 1996 The following year, the editorial board of the La Crosse Tribune summarized the general election campaign, Ann Walsh Bradley had sewn up, early in the campaign, an impressive list of endorsements from across the political spectrum: judges, police, labor, business, legislators and leaders from both political parties. So Crooks took a hard right after the primaries and his campaign blurred the lines between the judicial and the political, employing the term "conservative" – a legitimate description of Crooks' judicial philosophy – in a blatant attempt to round up the Republican vote. The strategy failed.Crooks Solid Pick for Supreme Court https://www.newspapers.com/image/513816235 Newspapers.com subscription La Crosse Tribune April 16, 2026 E-2 March 17, 1996 Results 1995 Wisconsin Supreme Court general electionhttp://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1995 State of Wisconsin 1995-1996 Blue Book State of Wisconsin 1995 Madison, Wisconsin Barish Lawrence S. Elections in Wisconsin 883-884 March 30, 2025 Ann Walsh Bradley 514,588 54.82% N/A N. Patrick Crooks 424,110 45.18% N/A 90,478 9.64% 938,698 100.0% Aftermath Bradley would later be re-elected in 2005 and 2015. Crooks would later join the court after winning election in 1996; later being re-elected in 2006. Roggensack also later joined the court after winning election in 2003; later being re-elected in 2013. Wedemeyer ran for the court once again in 1996, again failing to advance past the primary. During her campaign, Bradley had accepted the endorsement and a financial contribution from the political committee of the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). This motivated her, in her first year on the court, to recuse herself from a case involving the expansion of school choice to religious schools (which WEAC was opposed to).Segall Cary Fine, Crooks Blast Each Other At Debate; Supreme Court Race: Contributions, Endorsements Key Debating Point https://www.newspapers.com/image/513815401 Newspapers.com subscription La Crosse Tribune The Wisconsin Journal 16 April 2026 C-8 March 10, 1996 See also 1995 Wisconsin elections References Category:Wisconsin Supreme Court elections Supreme Court Wisconsin