Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn jumps into Wisconsin Supreme Court race

MADISON - Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn said Thursday he will seek a seat on the state's highest court and will compete for the 10-year term against his colleague. 

Hagedorn will run against Judge Lisa Neubauer, who announced her candidacy in July and sits on the Waukesha-based District 2 Court of Appeals with Hagedorn. 

Both will compete to replace outgoing longtime Justice Shirley Abrahamson, who is the leader of the court's liberal wing. The election is April 2. 

As former chief legal counsel to Gov. Scott Walker, Hagedorn is sure to receive the support of conservatives and said he has received the endorsements of two of the four conservative-leaning Supreme Court justices. 

Meanwhile, Neubauer of Racine is backed by many Democrats and hired a team that helped elect liberal-leaning Justice Rebecca Dallet to the Supreme Court earlier this year. 150 judges have endorsed her.

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Hagedorn, 40, said he would seek to apply the law as it is written and not as he wishes it would be — a common judicial philosophy among conservative-leaning candidates for Supreme Court.

"A judge’s job is to say what the law is, not what the judge thinks the law should be. And it doesn’t matter which political party writes the laws," Hagedorn said. "The Wisconsin Supreme Court must also uphold and enforce the Constitution as it is written. We do not get to fashion a constitution based on the personal values of judges."

He said constitutional rights that protect speech, religion and possessing firearms "cannot be disregarded as unfashionable by justices who think them less valuable today."

In his statement announcing his candidacy, Hagedorn also said he would seek to bring the Supreme Court into addressing heroin and methamphetamine abuse — "epidemics" that he said are "ravaging our communities."

"We must be part of the conversation," he said. "Our next justice must recognize that crime victims, as well as those accused of crimes, are protected in our Constitution. And we must remember that law enforcement is our ally, not our enemy."

Hagedorn of Oconomowoc was appointed by Walker to the appeals court in 2015 and was elected to a full term in 2017. 

He applied in 2016 for an appointment to the Supreme Court after former Justice David Prosser announced his retirement, but Walker appointed Daniel Kelly instead.

Hagedorn has the endorsements of Kelly and Justice Rebecca Bradley, as well as former Justice Michael Gableman. Hagedorn clerked for Gableman before serving as Walker's legal counsel.

Conservatives control the Supreme Court 4-3. The April election could keep that balance in place or widen conservative control to 5-2.

Neubauer raised more than $100,000 in June and put $250,000 of her own money into her campaign that month, her latest campaign finance report shows. She had about $358,000 in her account as of June 30.

Hagedorn had just $500 in his campaign account as of that date, his report shows.

Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.