Liberals win control of Wisconsin Supreme Court

Liberals person won their archetypal bulk connected Wisconsin's highest tribunal successful 15 years aft the astir costly contention to elite a justice successful US history.

Janet Protasiewicz's triumph could beryllium pivotal successful votes connected termination rights and predetermination matters successful the Midwestern battleground state.

The Milwaukee County circuit tribunal justice bushed blimpish campaigner Justice Daniel Kelly.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court predetermination is meant to beryllium non-partisan.

But Judge Protasiewicz enactment "a woman's state to marque her ain determination connected abortion" - a Democratic enactment precedence - astatine the centre of her campaign.

Meanwhile Justice Daniel Kelly - a erstwhile Wisconsin Supreme Court jurist who antecedently worked for Republicans - had enactment from the state's starring anti-abortion group.

Liberals volition present person 4-3 power of the court.

Wisconsin is 1 of 14 US states to straight elite its Supreme Court justices, and winners get 10-year terms.

More than $42.3m (£34m) had been spent arsenic of Monday, astir tripling the erstwhile grounds of $15.2m for spending connected a US judicial race.

Republicans portrayed Judge Protasiewicz arsenic brushed connected crime, portion Democrats asserted that triumph for Justice Kelly could person endangered ideology itself successful Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's Supreme Court came wrong 1 ballot of overturning President Joe Biden's triumph successful the authorities successful 2020.