Washington, D.C. — Today, Eric H. Holder, Jr., the 82nd Attorney General of the United States and Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), released the following statement in response to the Wisconsin Supreme Court election results: 

“When the people are able to participate in the democratic process, they have the power to protect democracy and deliver real change. That occurred tonight. When Republicans tried to place an unqualified MAGA extremist on Wisconsin’s highest tribunal, the voters went to the polls and soundly rejected this attempt to weaken our system of checks and balances. As a result, the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s majority has changed from one that has shown deference to one of the most gerrymandered Republican legislatures in the country to one that will demonstrate independence and protect the rights of all the people. 

“So today, I not only want to congratulate Judge Janet Protasiewicz, but I also want to congratulate all Wisconsinites for their tireless work and tenacity. Despite the fact that, for more than a decade, Wisconsin Republicans have put in place multiple structural barriers to fair representation, including a gerrymandered legislature, voter suppression laws, and a conservative court majority that was wildly out of step with the public, the people did not give up—instead they stayed engaged. And that is an important lesson for how democracy can ultimately win in this ever enduring fight.

“Tonight was more than a win for an extremely qualified new justice. This is a critical victory for our democracy and puts us that much closer to realizing our Founding Ideals.”

Background on NDRC involvement in the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election: 

This election was top priority for Attorney General Holder who endorsed Judge Janet Protasiewicz in February following the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary election. Leading up to the general election, he participated in a series of fundraisers, including joint events with Wisconsin Democrats to ensure her campaign had the resources to fight back against national Republican attacks, and he participated in a series of local radio interviews to help get out the vote in Wisconsin. This past weekend, Attorney General Holder traveled to Wisconsin to help get out the vote in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and Madison. While at a campaign stop, Attorney General Holder spoke with Rev. Al Sharpton about the stakes of the election on his MSNBC show, PoliticsNation. In addition to Attorney General Holder’s participation, NDRC and affiliates continuously engaged their grassroots networks to help recruit volunteers and get out the vote leading up to the April election.

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