In 2017, Appeals Court Judge Brian Hagedorn started laying the groundwork to run for the Wisconsin Supreme Court against Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.  No other judge in the state wanted to take on the Justice who had been on the court since being appointed in 1976.  In 2018 Justice Abrahamson announced her retirement and Judge Lisa Neubauer announced her candidacy.  In what was the most expensive Supreme Court until that time and with Neubauer and her supporters outspending Brian, he won the race.

The left began attacking Brian for his conservative political stance and went so far as to attack his blog from 2006, him helping start a Christian school and then his faith in Jesus Christ.

That is where the left and the Republican establishment made their mistake.  Brian didn't back down and the political right came to his defense and built a grassroots organization that fought for every vote.  No one thought Brian had a chance to win.  The political swamp from both sides of the political isle underestimated the grassroots movement and its desire to save the court.  It was an outstanding achievement by those whose only power was their vote.