Daniel Kelly gives vitriolic concession speech

GREEN LAKE, Wis. (WBAY) - Daniel Kelly, hoping to be returned to the Wisconsin Supreme Court after losing his 2020 election. But just after 9 p.m. on election night, he took the stage at the Heidel House to concede to Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz.

More than 200 people gave him a three-minute standing ovation for his hard-fought race which set both a record for spending and a record for voter turnout for a spring election that didn’t have a presidential primary.

Kelly offered his utmost gratitude to his supporters here and at home, thanking folks for postcards, door knocking, donations and all of their efforts.

Kelly talked about being outspent by his opponent and ultimately said he wishes he were conceding to a “worthy opponent.”

“I wish that in a circumstance like this I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, but I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede. This was the most deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign that I have ever seen run for the courts,” he said, calling Protasiewicz “a serial liar.”

“I wish Wisconsin the best of luck, because I think it’s gonna need it,” he concluded.

The race breaks a decade-long era of conservative power in the state Supreme Court, with liberal-leaning justices now making up the majority of the court.

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