Here & Now

Hagedorn Wins Close Election

Frederica Freyberg:
Wisconsin, the razor-thin margin state. That sums up the long night Tuesday that was the state Supreme Court race. According to the State Elections Commission, voter turnout was at just under 27%. That’s the second highest turnout for a non-partisan election since 2000. The results, ahead of next week’s official canvass give Appeals Court Judge Brian Hagedorn about a 6,000 vote edge over his opponent, Chief Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer. Neubauer is gauging support for a recount, a recount that she would have to pay for out of her own pocket. Zac Schultz has the story.

Zac Schultz:
Supporters of Judge Lisa Neubauer were relaxed and confident through most of Tuesday evening. As early returns showed Neubauer with a healthy lead over her opponent, Judge Brian Hagedorn. But their anxiety showed as the number of precincts reporting approached 90%. Neubauer’s lead was down to a few hundred votes.

Greta Neubauer:
Hello everyone.

Zac Schultz:
By the time Neubauer’s daughter, State Representative Greta Neubauer took the stage, the lead was gone.

Greta Neubauer:
This race is too close to call for tonight. It is going to take all night and maybe longer for us to get a final result on this race.

Zac Schultz:
At Judge Hagedorn’s party, it was all smiles and hugs.

Rebecca Bradley:
I am really tentatively happy to announce that we are expecting a victory tonight.

Zac Schultz:
By Wednesday morning, Hagedorn declared victory, calling his half a percentage lead insurmountable. Neubauer took to Facebook to talk about a recount.

Lisa Neubauer:
And so now, the morning after the election, this race is still too close to call. We need to make sure that every last vote is counted, and that’s going to take a little time.

Zac Schultz:
Because Hagedorn’s lead is under 1%, Neubauer can request a recount, but since it’s more than .25%, she would have to pay for it, which could end up you costing more than a million dollars. If the last two statewide recounts in Wisconsin are an indicator, Hagedorn’s 5900-vote lead has a good chance of holding up. In 2011, a Supreme Court race between Justice David Prosser and Joanne Kloppenburg went to recount and both candidates gained votes. In 2016, the Green Party paid to recount the presidential election and fewer than a thousand votes were found.

Clerk:
All rise.

Zac Schultz:
So if Hagedorn does win, conservatives will have a 5-2 hold on the Supreme Court. This race isn’t even officially over, and both sides are already looking to next year, when Justice Daniel Kelly is up for election.

Daniel Kelly:
I think it’s going to be pretty much the same.

Zac Schultz:
He endorsed Hagedorn and says he plans to run on a similar theme of rule of law and a limited role for the court.

Daniel Kelly:
That’s what the dynamic is in the state, I think. That’s what brought them out this time, and I’m presuming that’s what will bring them out next year as well.

Zac Schultz:
But next year’s Supreme Court race falls on the April presidential primary, and Democrats hope a crowded presidential field will lead to high turnout.

Cory Mason:
It has been a much heavier Democratic turnout in the spring of 2020 because that will be the presidential primary.

Zac Schultz:
Even if liberals win that race, the conservatives will control the court until 2023, when Chief Justice Pat Roggensack is up for election.

Frederica Freyberg:
That was Zac Schultz reporting.