Rebecca Bradley Wins

All the Scott Walker haters in Milwaukee couldn't defeat Judge Rebecca Bradley.

Rough night for the Leftists.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's headline tells how the Leftists viewed the race:

"Scott Walker appointee Rebecca Bradley re-elected judge in Milwaukee County"

I think it speaks to Bradley's qualifications that the Left's efforts to dismiss Bradley based on her appointment by Walker failed miserably.

Incumbent Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Bradley on Tuesday held off a challenger who made an issue of Bradley's appointment by Gov. Scott Walker and a conservative group's spending to back her.

According to complete, unofficial returns, Bradley took 54% of the vote to 46% for Janet Protasiewicz, a veteran prosecutor backed by the area's leading Democrats.

Bradley, 41, a Milwaukee native, had worked 16 years as a corporate litigator with two large law firms, and was also a software company executive. She was appointed in November and has been serving in Children's Court since December.

Protasiewicz, 50, also a Milwaukee native, entered the race in late December. Initially, she stressed her courtroom experience as a primary challenger portrayed both her and Bradley as too political.

Bradley once belonged to the Republican National Lawyers Association and led the local chapter of the Federalist Society, a conservative lawyers group. She contributed $1,750 to Walker's campaigns since 2005.

Protasiewicz has been active in the Democratic Party, demonstrated in Madison over Act 10 and signed the Walker recall petition.

Protasiewicz won endorsement from Democrats such as Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, District Attorney John Chisholm, U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, and most leading Democratic legislators, aldermen and county supervisors. She also had the backing of several major labor groups and more than a dozen Milwaukee circuit judges.

While on the bench only a few months, Bradley stressed her own judicial experience and work as an arbitrator, a neutral party in disputes. She had the support of several circuit judges, the Milwaukee police and deputies unions, and retired District Attorney E. Michael McCann. She also touted the fact she had managed to get two of the area's most antagonistic political leaders - Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and County Executive Chris Abele - to agree she was the better candidate.

The election is over but the JS is still fighting.

It's not insignificant that Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele endorsed Bradley, that she received bipartisan support.

The Leftists really are not dealing with their big judicial defeats well.

A Scott Walker appointee won in Milwaukee County. Deal with it, Leftists.