This side.
This side
You
They let you dream, it's too late
to say You've got to stay up on the
bars and they let you You've had
dreams but they'll never take away
Equal rights, now come around,
our people do, we appreciate the
things you do, thanks to you.
Wow, I could just only go to those
kinds of events every night.
I was there for 30 minutes and I met
like 10 of the great people and the
great persons I was here for.
Yeah, and you got to know everything
about every person there.
You do that stuff.
But the next few days you're going
to have great ones.
Some days are going to be less
slippery, so just
keep at it.
No, no, I'm getting complimented.
Somehow, I got real good at this.
I just hope that somewhere,
somehow, Bruce Keese is going to
shake through some of our money.
Yeah, yeah.
But, like, today I was with,
uh, in the Madison office.
Look at all of you!
Good evening!
Good evening.
I'm Jill Kravsky.
I'm the Chief Justice of Wisconsin
Supreme Court.
Thank you.
What an exciting night for
Wisconsin.
I am so honored to
be here with all of you to
celebrate.
Woooooooooooo!
And celebrate, we will.
Look, I want to begin by taking this
opportunity to thank every
candidate for judicial office
who put their name on the
ballot across the state this April,
including Judge Maria Lazar.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you!
Judicial races at all
level are so important for our
democracy.
In Wisconsin, we have been electing
judges and justices since
1848.
This is how we ensure
those in the judicial branch
are accountable to the people
of this state.
And this is how maintain the
public's confidence in our
court system.
Now, as some of you know, for
about a decade, we have
been fighting tirelessly to
secure a Supreme Court
majority that upholds
and protects your rights
and your freedoms.
We have fought for an
enduring majority that respects
the rule of law and democratic
structures.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
No.
Those of you in this room,
those of you watching online or
perhaps on TV, I just
want you to know that my fellow
justices and I, we have
all been in this fight to reclaim
your court for a long
time. Yes!
Thank you. Good night.
In a moment, I'm going to introduce
our friend and colleague, someone
who is deeply dedicated to public
service. But before I
do, I want to recognize a
few other amazing women in
this room tonight.
And first, I'm going to begin with
Justice Anne Walsh-Bradley.
Thank you very much.
She left the court last year after
30 years of service,
including as our chief justice.
Anne Walsh Bradley was the
conscience of this court
for every minute that
she served.
Thank you so much.
Justice Rebecca Dallet.
Thank you. Thank you!
No one, and I mean no
one, on this court works harder.
She was the first non-incumbent
winner in our little run here.
And you should all blame her
for persuading me that this was
something that I could do because if
it weren't for her, I never would
have run in 2020.
Thank you very much.
Justice Janet Protasewicz.
She became a national
figure overnight and continues
to dedicate herself to our state
and our community and
like Anne and Becky, she is a
phenomenal justice.
Thank you. Thank you!
And, of course,
Justice Susan Crawford.
Who last year not only
beat her opponent, but beat
the richest man in the world.
It was the most expensive race,
a judicial race, in history.
And now Susan Crawford shows up
every day, she rolls up her sleeves,
and she gets the job done.
Woo!
So let's get to why we're all here.
Whooo!
After I was elected to the Wisconsin
Supreme Court in 2020,
thanks to many of you in this room,
Chris Taylor succeeded me on
the bench in the Dane County Circuit
Court.
We spent time talking as I was about
to begin my new role and
she was about take the bench for the
first time.
What struck me most was
how much Chris Taylor truly
cares about.
As a judge on the Circuit Court
and now on the Court of Appeals,
Chris Taylor has earned a reputation
as a prepared and
independent and a fair
judge who is committed to the rule
of law, giving every party
in front of her a fair shot,
and treating everyone with kindness,
dignity, and respect.
Chris and her team ran
an amazing campaign.
They left nothing on the
field.
She traveled to every single corner
of this state. And you know what?
Chris Taylor loved every
minute of it.
She loved meeting every voter
she came in contact with.
So tonight, it is no surprise
to me that Wisconsinites
overwhelmingly elected
Chris Taylor.
Overwhelmingly, let me say it again,
elected Chris Taylor to
be the next justice on your
Supreme Court.
Thank you!
I know she's going to
bring the same dedication she has
shown over her 30-year legal
career to her new position.
She will uphold our laws,
she will defend the Constitution,
she will stay committed to our
democracy, and she will
never forget, Chris Taylor
will never forgot about
you, the people across the state
of Wisconsin.
Thank you.
It is my honor, and
it is my absolute privilege.
Please join me in welcoming your
next justice on the Wisconsin
Supreme Court, Justice
O'Leary Chris Tolle!
Wow,
we did it, Wisconsin!
Tonight, the people
of Wisconsin stood up
for our rights and freedoms,
our democracy, our elections,
and a strong state Supreme
Court that will protect the
independence of our beloved
state.
Once again, Wisconsin
showed the entire
nation that we
believe that the people should
be at the center of
government, and the priorities.
And the priority of
our judiciary,
not the billionaires, not
the most powerful and privileged,
but the people.
Just a few minutes ago,
I spoke with Judge Maria Lazar,
who called to concede the
race.
Yeah. Yeah!
Woo!
I really appreciate her call
and I wish her and her
family well.
Running first seat on our state's
highest court does take courage and
I really respect that.
I have so many
people, so many of you
to thank for this moment.
First, to my family,
my lovely husband, Jim.
And my sons.
And our beloved dog Ollie,
who communicated with many of you.
He will appreciate that.
He will let him know.
But my family is
my everything.
My kids, my husband, this
incredible family behind me.
I love all of
you. I so appreciate your
sacrifices, Jim.
Jim was on hockey transport
duty for 11
months. So.
I love all of you, I appreciate
it.
Thank you all so much.
And I'm joined tonight by my sister,
Cale, she's having a good time.
You
And tonight we are remembering
our mother who passed
away in October right when
this campaign was getting
going.
And, you know, I can't help but
wish she was with us.
But this one's for you, Mom.
And I'm also joined on stage by
my niece, Hannah, and my
nephew, Maddie.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
My brother-in-law, Mark, and
sister-in want to take a picture
with you.
You know, we do what we do
for our children so
often. We want something better,
and these kids and my
own kids inspire me every day
to want to be better and want to
make this state better.
And I know that you all join me
in that, and I so appreciate that.
I am also
so, so
happy and so.
In awe of the young people
who powered my campaign.
Oh
You all are the future
of our state,
and you, I
know, will continue to work to make
this state better.
I was so in awe of
the time I got to spend on campus.
It was amazing all around
the state.
So thank you all so much.
I also want to, where is Ashley
Frans, my campaign manager?
Ashley just turned 30,
so, you know, say happy birthday to
her.
Ashley
But she had
such a vision and we worked and
respected my vision for this
campaign and just
led the ship and brought us
through and she is going to change
this world, no doubt about
it.
So thank you, Ashley.
Thank you.
And to the rest of my incredible
team, Abigail, who
was with me taking me all over
the stage, everywhere.
You
Sawyer, Maya,
Toby, Jackie. Thank you.
Haley, Darren,
Sam, and Scott, thank you.
We got in front of voters across
this state.
Thank you for raising the
money to keep this campaign strong,
for keeping the schedule in order,
and for traveling with me
for the last 11 months.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I see so many friends and
colleagues in this audience.
I am just so grateful
for your support.
Dear, dear friends, the minute I
announced that I was going to run,
just the unwavering
allegiance and support that
you all have given me, thank you so,
so much to my close friends and
colleagues, it really
meant the world to me to have you by
my side.
Thank you. Thank you very
much.
And then, of course, to our amazing
justices of the Wisconsin
Supreme Court.
You
Chief Justice Jill Korofsky.
And justices,
Becky Dowlett,
You
Can I have a sandwich?
Yeah!
And Susan Crawford.
Thank you!
Thank you, I'll get them.
Thank you so much for
your leadership and your dedication
to our Supreme Court and to the
people. I look so
forward in joining you.
Four awesome justices
on the state Supreme Court.
And a real special
welcome to Chief
Justice Ann Walsh-Bradley.
In 1995,
when Justice Ann Walsh Bradley first
got elected to the Wisconsin
Supreme Court, I was graduating from
law school.
And I remember
that election.
It was the first time ever a
woman had been elected.
And it inspired in me to
dream something big.
I didn't quite know how to live that
dream, but thank you,
Justice Ann-Walsh-Bradley.
Thank you.
Thank you for being the first.
And thank you to the people of
Wisconsin.
Running in this campaign
for the last 11 months was
truly a joy.
I met people
in the smallest
towns in the largest cities,
and they were all working to
improve our democracy.
They were working to strengthen
their communities.
And they inspired me
every single day to keep going.
We live in an
incredible state and people are
hungry for a government that
works for them
Yeah.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Woo.
Woo. Woo.
People are hungry for a judiciary
that prioritizes
them,
that protects our rights, that
affords all Wisconsinites
equal justice under the law.
That is exactly what I will do
as your next state
Supreme Court justice.
And last, but certainly not least,
thank you to the tens of
thousands of grassroots supporters
who were part of this campaign.
In communities throughout, that's
you all, yay!
Thank you.
In communities throughout our
state, armies of volunteers knocked
on countless doors,
made thousands of phone calls,
and wrote, I don't know, probably
millions of postcards, and I
got one telling me
to vote for me.
So that was fun.
It worked!
There is nothing more powerful
than when we come together,
organizing and raising our
voices.
And I am so grateful for
the grassroots support that
I needed to win this race.
This was a grassroots campaign
about the people of the state of
Wisconsin.
And tonight, the people of Wisconsin
spoke.
And what you said is clear.
We are moving forward.
Thank you very much.
You
for our rights, for
our democracy,
for every family and individual
in this state that deserves
a fair shot at
justice.
Tonight is a victory for every
person in this State who
believes that the court should work
for all of us.
I grew up understanding what
the law can do for ordinary
people.
My grandmother was a single mom.
Who struggled to make ends
meet to support my mother
until she got a union
job.
Thank you.
Which enabled her to support
three children,
which enabled her to help my mother
go to college.
My mother was a fifth grade public
school teacher.
So.
And it enabled her to
not just survive, but
thrive. And that's what I want for
all people in Wisconsin.
The law can be a
tool to lift people up, to improve
their lives, to strengthen our
communities. And that is exciting.
That drove me to law school.
And I've spent now 30,
my 30 year legal career as a lawyer,
in private practice as a law and
policy director for Planned
Parenthood.
As a legislator, and for the
last six years, as a
judge, to
work to make sure that people's
rights and freedoms are protected,
that survivors of domestic violence
and sexual assault are protected
and respected, and
that working people who
actually make the pie
get a slice of it instead
of the leftover crumbs.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
And I have always valued
every woman's ability to
make her own personal, private,
health care.
Every single day as a judge,
I work to ensure that the cases and
the people before me get
a fair and deliberate consideration
and that laws are
applied independently and
impartially with an eye always
towards achieving justice.
Politics has no place in the
judiciary and the judiciary
is not a rubber stamp
for any party, group,
or branch of government, including
the federal government.
I am so honored that
I get to continue
this work at the State Supreme
Court. It is an honor
that the people of Wisconsin have
bestowed on me that I will
never, ever forget and I treasure
it.
Tonight, we stand
strongly for a State
Supreme court that prioritizes
the people of Wisconsin,
their rights, their lives,
and the independence of our great
state.
And for a court that
holds everyone accountable under
the law, no matter how
powerful or privileged.
I will be a justice for
you, the people of
Wisconsin.
Thank you, Wisconsin.
Forward we go, together.
It's right by you.
I'm good, I'm going home.
Nice meeting you for this week, and
how are you?
How are you?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, I'd like to know if anybody
here is going to offer to, like, a
song for the advocates or something?
Well, that's really good because the
field is fascinating.
I'm going to give you this.
Very affirmed.
Thank you. All right.
Bye. Good night.
Thanks.
Is this good?
Yeah? You in on the road today?
Now you're on camera.
Oh, I know.
I know, I know.
It was in La Crosse
today, in 8 Triple O,
so now I got back here.
Alright? Yeah.
I know, I can't even ask you, but I
really want to ask you. What have y'all
been up to?
What's that? I said, what are y'all
gonna do?
Hold it on the board.
Hold it down the city board.
Life, family,
job, business. I know, so I still
offer to make conversation right
now.
I don't know exactly how to say
it.
What have you done?
Uh, I don't know what I can do right
now.
So, put on that guy.
I was like, you guys, how
come you feel like you can just take
off?
No.
If you want her to interview,
that's fine.
You're already in the story on
Friday, so...
Right here.
The multiples that are here!
Thank you.
Everyone out here, I
just want to say hi to Justice in
the background.
Take a picture of it.
Yeah, let's take a picture.
Here, give it to my daughter.
I'll even take a photo.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
There's like three more here.
The blue is corner, right?
The one in blue is the corner,
Right?
Right there.
Wow.
Good for you.
Becky Gallagher said
to me just a few minutes ago,
she said...
Sorry.
She's such an idol!
Right, right, right.
A long time.
Was stupefied, and
now the
I write and you're
there then.
Oh my god It's in
the long view.
You know like that so
so wonderful
We'll hang out right here for you.
Congratulations, and give me a
sense, what does a 5-2 majority
mean practically different than a
4-3 majority?
Look, I think that tonight the
voters of Wisconsin really made
their voices heard.
We have such an intelligent
electorate in this state.
We have elections, it feels like,
all the time.
And so people are, they get
educated, they learn who the
candidates are, and they spoke loud
and clear tonight.
And electing Chris Taylor, who is
a judge who has an incredible depth
and breadth of experience
in this State.
This will also provide consistency
for the next few years of a
consistent majority in the US Chief
Justice, right?
We'll see about that.
My colleagues, we vote for Chief
Justice every two years, so we'll
vote in a little over
a year, I guess.
But in terms of keeping that
majority consistent, what does that
mean for the consistency of what the
people can expect from the Supreme
Court?
But look, again, I think that the
people of this state, when they look
at who is running in Supreme Court
elections, they do their homework.
And they elected tonight someone
who is dedicated to
following the rule of law, who is
dedicating to protecting people's
rights and protecting people
freedom.
Thank you. Yeah, absolutely.
Give me a sense of your feeling
going into this race.
Were you at all concerned that maybe
the Democrats, the party, or the
outside groups weren't investing
enough?
What was your reaction when you saw
the numbers come in?
I think every race is unique,
and I think now
Justice Taylor did
a fantastic job of making
sure that she covered the whole
state. I think at some point, at
some level, all these races are
the same. You have to connect with
people, you have to carry your
message, you have to do it honestly,
truthfully, and I think that's what
happened.
And yeah, every race
is unique in the sense that
Maybe some funders are not as
excited as others in different
terms, but really what
matters is voters,
what matters is Wisconsin, what
matter is what we do for people, and
I think Chris did an excellent job
of that.
Not to put you on the spot, but your
name has been brought up with
possible Supreme Court runs in the
future. What's that feeling like
when you know the incumbent's
already decided she's not running
again and this incredible wave for
the liberal candidates over and
over?
Well, you know, I thank the
people that think of me and I
just want to take my time
deciding and
see what happens.
And as I said, every race is unique.
So I have to uniquely think about
race for the Supreme Court.
But tonight is a great victory for
the state of Wisconsin.
Does a night like tonight influence
any decisions that might be made
down the road in terms of how
successful the candidates have been
over the past few?
I think the definition of the
state or how we define our
state is a continuing struggle and
we're going to see that struggle
continue throughout
every race and so we'll try
to define it again next time.
Alright, thank you for watching,
appreciate it.
I think we're gonna do one staff
photo.
1, 2, 3
Thank you very much.
It's alright.
God, the kids.
I've been summoned to take a break.