Appeals Court Judge Brian Hagedorn, who’s weighing a bid for the state Supreme Court next year, showed up at the GOP state convention in Milwaukee on Saturday as he begins the process of introducing himself to voters.
The state GOP has taken on a significant role for conservative candidates in recent Supreme Court candidates, including being the biggest single donor for Sauk County Judge Michael Screnock in this spring’s contest.
Hagedorn, who worked as Scott Walker’s legal counsel before the guv appointed him to the 2nd District Court of Appeals in 2015, said it’s important to tap into existing infrastructure to run a statewide campaign. But he would focus on a message of fidelity to the law, not one as a partisan candidate.
“I’m not going to run as a Republican candidate for the Supreme Court, far from it,” Hagedorn said.
He also said he has no timeline for making a final decision and demurred when asked what would dissuade him from getting into the race.
“That’s a really good question,” Hagedorn said, carrying a clipboard to collect contact information for possible backers. “I think the seat is really, really important. We need to get someone really strong to serve on the court for the next 10 years.”
Justice Shirley Abrahamson, the longest serving member of the court, would be on the ballot next spring if she runs for re-election.
This post is part of our coverage of the 2018 state GOP convention in Milwaukee. See the rest of our coverage here: https://www.wispolitics.com/category/gop-convos/
