美国国家公共电台 NPR--How state and local judicial elections became so politicized

How state and local judicial¹ elections became so politicized

Transcript²

NPR's A Martinez speaks with University of Wisconsin political scientist Mike Wagner about partisanship⁴ in state and local judicial elections following Wisconsin's Supreme⁵ Court election.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Janet Protasiewicz won her race for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice this week.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JANET PROTASIEWICZ: Tonight, we celebrate this historic victory that has obviously reignited hope in so many of us.

MART?NEZ: Over the last several years, liberals in Wisconsin have been stripped of some power in state government, even though they make up a larger share of the electorate⁶ than conservatives. For a race between two candidates without party affiliations⁷, it was pretty partisan³. Mike Wagner is with us to talk about why. He's a political scientist and professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Mike, a state Supreme Court election focused on partisan issues - how long has that been a thing?

MIKE WAGNER: It's been a thing for the last, probably, three state Supreme Court elections, but it was at its most acute point here in 2023. It's gotten increasingly partisan over time. The campaign finance donation networks have gotten more partisan over time. The advertising⁸ has gotten more partisan and sharper and more negative over time. And this is all happening in an environment where Wisconsin politics has become increasingly contentious⁹, increasingly polarized and increasingly partisan.

MART?NEZ: Is there anyone to point to for this?

WAGNER: I think that this really took off and got its kind of jet fuel added to it during the early part of former Governor Scott Walker's term in office in Wisconsin. There was a bill that ended collective bargaining rights in the state for public workers. And that resulted, as you all might remember, in weeks and months of protests at the Capitol. The Democrats¹⁰ and the legislature actually left the state to try to get rid of the quorum¹¹. And that's really when politics got to the point where Republicans and Democrats haven't been able to do much in the way of compromise at the legislative¹² level and really left the state Supreme Court to be the main vehicle for changes in how we interpret what's legal and what's not in the state of Wisconsin.

MART?NEZ: Is what's happening in Wisconsin similar to what's happening in other states that elect judges?

WAGNER: It is in some ways. Wisconsin - on the one hand, politics is more nationalized in the United States than it was in generations past. But on the other hand, Wisconsin is kind of a leading edge of that increase in polarization and that increase in acrimony. And so the partisan nature of what's happening, the intensity¹³ of that and the extremity¹⁴, even in people in the electorate, is wider in Wisconsin across a wide variety of issues and a wide variety of attitudes toward different groups, that it is another, you know, political swing states that get a lot of attention, a lot of advertising and that sort of thing around election times.

MART?NEZ: You know, when I see my ballot¹⁵ here in California, I never see a D or an R next to a judge's name. So if judges who are supposed to be neutral campaign on their political views, how can they be trusted?

WAGNER: That's a good question. I think the traditional view is that judges shouldn't campaign with respect to what their views are. But, of course, judges have views. And so you could also make the argument that being able to understand what judges' views are might help make voters make a more intelligent choice than the judge who just says, trust me, I do everything by the book, but there's no way to monitor me once I'm in office, you know, under a nonpartisan voting situation.

MART?NEZ: Just about 30 seconds left. Wisconsin's always crucial in presidential elections. Does Protasiewicz's victory tell you about what Wisconsin voters might do in 2024?

WAGNER: Wisconsin voters have been increasingly supporting more left-leaning and Democratic candidates over the past couple of election cycles. But most statewide elections, this one excepted, are much closer than this. But the directions - the winds are at the backs of the Democrats in Wisconsin right now.

MART?NEZ: Mike Wagner is a political scientist and professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Mike, thanks.

WAGNER: My pleasure.

1 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

4 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

7 affiliations   

n.联系( affiliation的名词复数 )；附属机构；亲和性；接纳

参考例句：

• She had affiliations of her own in every capital. 她原以为自己在欧洲各国首府都有熟人。 来自辞典例句
• The society has many affiliations throughout the country. 这个社团在全国有很多关系。 来自辞典例句

8 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

9 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

10 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 quorum   

n.法定人数

参考例句：

• The meeting is adjourned since there is no quorum.因为没有法定人数会议休会。
• Three members shall constitute a quorum.三名成员可组成法定人数。

12 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

13 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

14 extremity   

n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度

参考例句：

• I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
• What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？

15 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。