The Jefferson County GOP is slamming Tony Evers-appointee Theresa Beck for her failed effort to kick her opponent, Cortney J. Iverson, off the ballot.
“Today, the Wisconsin Election Commission sided with candidate for Jefferson County Circuit Court Branch 2, Cortney J. Iverson and the State Constitution as her opponents attempted to have her removed from the ballot,” the Jefferson County GOP said in a statement.
“It is concerning that a sitting judge and court commissioner attempted to undermine the democratic process and remove a qualified candidate from the ballot. Jefferson County will not be fooled by these cheap political games,” said Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Brian Norby.
Evers appointed Beck to the bench in July, according to his press release from the time. According to the Wisconsin Justice Initiative, Beck endorsed Democrat Susan Happ for Attorney General in 2014. She praised the decision to overturn Roe V. Wade, writing, “The removal of the protections of Roe has impacted the reproductive rights of our citizens today in a negative manner.” Beck also praised liberal Justice Shirley Abrahamson in her application to Evers, according to a summary of it by the Justice Initiative.
“The Jefferson County Republican Party is proud to offer our full endorsement and support to Cortney J. Iverson in her race for the Circuit Court’s Branch 2,” the Jefferson County GOP wrote. “Cortney is the clear conservative choice in this race and we are confident she will preside with a focus on law and order and protecting the most vulnerable citizens in our communities. It’s time for a fresh face in the Jefferson County Courthouse, so join us voting for Cortney J. Iverson on February 18 and April 1.” Cortney Iverson is the wife of Andrew Iverson, the executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party.
The complaints filed by Beck and a third candidate, Jennifer Weber, argued that judges need to be lawyers for five years in order to qualify for the office. Evidence presented to WEC showed that Iverson will have been a lawyer for five years by the time she would assume the powers of the office, if elected. She would not meet that threshold by election day, but her lawyer argued that she meets the statutory test because, by the time she would wield the powers of the position, she will have met the qualification.
Even a partisan Democrat serving on WEC, Mark Thomsen, voted in Iverson’s favor. “I think we should promote people to get on the ballot. I think we should have elections. We should have competition. We should let the people be heard,” he said during the hearing. He added, “It’s undisputed that Iverson is qualified when she would be sworn.”
GOP election commissioner Don Millis also sided with Iverson, and he said during the hearing that the decision on whether to elect her should be up to the voters. It’s a “situation where we should err on the side of giving Attorney Iverson the opportunity to convince the people of Jefferson County that she should be the judge,” said Millis during the hearing.
The three candidates are competing in the Feb. 18 primary. The top two candidates will square off in April.
