Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates to meet in debate

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Janet Protasiewicz and Dan Kelly have agreed to meet in at least one debate ahead of the April 4 election.

The candidates’ campaigns announced Monday that they will meet in a televised debate sponsored by the State Bar of Wisconsin, WISC-TV and WisPolitics.com on March 21st.

The winner of the election will determine the court’s ideological leaning for the next two years. Right now conservative-leaning justices hold a 4-3 majority but conservative Justice Patience Roggensack is stepping down, creating the open spot Kelly and Protasiewicz want. The race is officially nonpartisan but conservatives back Kelly and liberals support Protasiewicz.