Liberal Judge Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat, Buoying Democrats

“That said, there is a symbolic importance that may be raised,” said Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School poll. “If it shows that progressives, liberals, Democrats are continuing to be energized, then I think Democrats will seize on that — and Republicans will too.”

Mark Graul, a Republican political consultant in the state, said the outcome on Tuesday ought not to be viewed as some larger sign about the fall. “The April electorate in Wisconsin is just very different than the electorate you have in November,” he said. “They’re just very different animals, and not comparable.”

Spending on the special election race was significant — at least $2.6 million went to television and radio ads, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which tracks spending on judicial elections — and fell starkly along partisan lines.

A group led by Eric H. Holder Jr., President Barack Obama’s former attorney general, backed Judge Dallet’s campaign, which also received endorsements from Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic former vice president, and Senator Cory A. Booker, Democrat of New Jersey.

Judge Screnock, who was appointed to his judgeship by Mr. Walker, won support from the state’s Republican Party, the National Rifle Association and a prominent business group, Wisconsin Manufacturers Commerce.

“It’s not a mystery which side people are on,” said Joe Zepecki, a Democratic strategist in the state.

He noted that left-leaning candidates for the state Supreme Court had struggled to win open seats in recent years. “For whatever reason, picking the lock on this is very, very hard,” Mr. Zepecki said. “It’s really been tough for our side.”

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After Alleged Abuse Of One Aide By Another, Rep. Elizabeth Esty Won’t Run Again

Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., at a news conference in 2013. On Monday the three-term congresswoman announced she will not seek re-election in 2018.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

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Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., at a news conference in 2013. On Monday the three-term congresswoman announced she will not seek re-election in 2018.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty of Connecticut announced Monday she will not run for re-election in the 2018 midterms, giving in to calls for her resignation.

Esty was came under attack last week accused of failing to protect female staffers from her male chief of staff, Tony Baker, who allegedly physically assaulted and harassed another member of her staff.

“I have determined that it is in the best interest of my constituents and my family to end my time in Congress at the end of this year and not seek re-election,” the Democratic congresswoman wrote in a statement.

“Too many women have been harmed by harassment in the workplace. In the terrible situation in my office, I could have and should have done better. To the survivor, I want to express my strongest apology for letting you down,” she added.

As NPR’s Amy Held reported Esty apologized last week for “failure to see what was going on” following reports that Baker was allowed to stay on for months after a onetime staffer accused him of sexual harassment and punching her in the back.

Exacerbating matters for Esty is that after terminating Baker she issued a letter of recommendation for him, praising his “considerable skills,” and cut him a $5,000 severance check. She also signed a nondisclosure agreement that included several secrecy provisions.

Three-term congresswoman has been an advocate of women’s equality issues, including pay equity and paid family leave. She’s also been among the most outspoken members of Congress dedicated to ending sexual harassment in the workplace. Earlier this year she voted for the Congressional Accountability Act, a House bill seeking to better protect congressional employees from harassment.

“In Congress, and workplaces across the country, we need stronger workplace protections and to provide employees with a platform to raise concerns, address problems, and work to reduce and eliminate such occurrences, in the first place,” she wrote.

She also vowed: “In my final months I will use my power to fight for action and meaningful change.”

Shortly after announcing her intentions to withdraw from the race later this year, Esty fired off a request to the House Ethics Committee to “conduct an inquiry into whether I have violated any law, rule, regulation or other standard of conduct applicable to a Member of the House.”

She urged the full House to explore whether the rules and procedures for dealing with such matters need to be further revised and strengthened.

Esty’s decision not to run for a fourth term opens up a highly competitive seat. Hillary Clinton carried the district by only four points in the 2016 presidential election.

The National Republican Congressional Committee’s Communications Director Matt Gorman called today “a sad day for Connecticut’s 5th district,” in a statement, but declared it is “ready to win this competitive seat this fall.”

“Democrats won’t be able to distance themselves from the stain Esty left on their brand,” Gorman wrote.

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