Wednesday, November 28, 2012
6:57 PM
Roggensack officially announces re-election bid
Supreme Court Justice Pat Roggensack officially announced her re-election campaign today, declaring "this campaign is about experience.”
Roggensack, elected to the court in 2003, stressed her prior experience on the appeals court, noting she is the only justice to have served at that level. She also touted her work to get the court to “work together to better serve the public.” She cited as an example changes she suggested to how opinions are processed to speed up their release and the creation of a finance committee to monitor use of taxpayer dollars.
The operation of the court could be one of the key issues in the spring race. Potential challengers, including Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi and Marquette University Law Professor Ed Fallone, have said they believe tensions among the justices have hampered court operations and a change in personalities is needed. Noted lemon law attorney Vince Megna has also said he's running.
Roggensack also announced that former Justices William Callow, Louis Ceci, Donald Steinmetz and Jon Wilcox will be honorary co-chairs for her campaign. Born in Joliet, Ill., Roggensack received a bachelor's degree in biology from Drake University and graduated from UW Law School in 1980. She was in private practice in Madison before getting elected to the appeals court in 1996.
If more than two candidates run, there will be a February primary. The general election is April 2.
-- By JR Ross