MADISON, Wis. — A conservative state Supreme Court justice overcame efforts to tie him to Wisconsin’s polarizing governor and survived a near-upset in a race that drew national attention after a fierce fight over union rights.
County tallies finalized Friday showed Justice David Prosser defeated little-known challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg by 7,316 votes. State election officials said they will wait to declare an official winner until the deadline for Kloppenburg to seek a recount passes. She has until Wednesday to call for one.
Although the race was officially nonpartisan, Democrats tried to link Prosser, a 12-year court veteran and former Republican Assembly speaker, to Republican Gov. Scott Walker and a divisive new law stripping public employees of most of their union rights.
Prosser’s campaign issued a statement Friday declaring victory. “Today, the will of the electorate is clear with . . . Justice David Prosser re-elected,” the statement said.
Kloppenburg issued a statement that said only that her campaign would weigh a recount request and she would make an announcement no later than Wednesday.
