Wisconsin voters risked their lives last week — and voted out the party that made them risk their lives

Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown that's surrounding us and suffocating every moment of our lives, the GOP-controlled court system in the state of Wisconsin refused to postpone that state's primary election, or to even respect the sudden influx in mail-in ballots from people who didn't want to get exposed to a virus simply for exercising their right to vote.

It was a blatant act of voter suppression - a favorite move of the GOP - and a frightening portent of the upcoming November election.

Fortunately, those brave voters made sure their voices were made heard: preliminary results show that they successfully kicked out the incumbent conservative Justice Daniel Kelly, voting in the progressive candidate Jill Karofsky. From the Milwaukee Journal Online Sentinel:

Karofsky's victory marked the first time in a dozen years that a Supreme Court challenger beat an incumbent - and just the second time in more than half a century. Her win over Justice Daniel Kelly will shift conservative control of the court from 5-2 to 4-3.

Thank you to everyone across Wisconsin who made this victory possible! pic.twitter.com/FkbPjnGsCH

- Judge Jill Karofsky (@judgekarofsky) April 14, 2020

Good news is good to see.

Liberal Jill Karofsky wins Wisconsin Supreme Court election, defeating conservative justice Daniel Kelly [Patrick Marley / Milwaukee Journal Online Sentinel]

Progressive Upsets Conservative Judge After Suppressed Vote in Wisconsin [Ed Kilgore / NY Mag]

Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC 4.0)