Incumbent judges move on in primary election

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All four incumbent circuit judges running for re-election in the spring survived the Tuesday primary, but three finished second on the ballots.

The top two vote-getters in each primary election advance to the April 3 general election.

In Milwaukee’s Branch 17 race, incumbent Judge Nelson Phillips received 707 fewer votes than challenger Carolina Stark, an administrative law judge with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Milwaukee. Private attorney and Glendale Municipal Judge Christopher Lipscomb finished third, 1,739 votes behind Phillips.

In the Dane County judicial primary for Branch 11, Wisconsin State Public Defender Ellen Berz topped incumbent Branch 11 Judge Roger Allen by 4,935 votes. Frank Sullivan, an attorney with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, finished third with 8,824 votes.

In the Menominee-Shawano County Circuit Court Branch 2 race, incumbent Judge William Kussel Jr. finished 37 votes behind Shawano attorney David Winter, of Winter Law Office. Berlin attorney John Selsing, of Selsing Law Office, finished third with 609 votes.

Kenosha County Branch 2 Judge Jason Rossell won the local primary by 1,565 votes over Ed Antaramian, attorney for the city of Kenosha.

Other primary election winners included Rhinelander attorney John O’Melia, of O’Melia, Schiek & McEldowney, for the Oneida County Branch 2 seat; and Barbara McCrory, Jefferson County family court commissioner, for the Rock County Branch 7 seat.

Vote tallies, according to the various county results, were (asterisks indicate candidates moving on to the April 3 general election):

Dane County Circuit Court, Branch 11
*Ellen Berz – Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office, Madison – 44.3 percent (16,212 votes)
*Judge Roger Allen (I) – 30.8 percent (11,277 votes)
Frank Sullivan – Wisconsin Department of Justice, Madison – 24.1 (8,824)

Kenosha County Circuit Court, Branch 2
*Judge Jason Rossell (I) – 33.4 percent (5,038 votes)
*Ed Antaramian – city of Kenosha attorney – 23.0 (3,473)
William Michel – Law Office of William P. Michel II, Kenosha – 17.9 (2,705)
David Berman – David R. Berman LLC, Kenosha – 15.9 (2,395)
David Celebre – Celebre Law Offices, Kenosha – 9.5 (1,436)

Menominee-Shawano County Circuit Court, Branch 2
*David Winter – Winter Law Office, Shawano – 41.5 percent (1,390 votes)
*Judge William Kussel Jr. (I) – 40.4 (1,353)
John Selsing – Selsing Law Office, Berlin – 18.3 (609)

Milwaukee County Circuit Court, Branch 17
*Carolina Stark – Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Milwaukee – 35.3 percent (19,221 votes)
*Judge Nelson Phillips (I) – 34.0 (18,514)
Christopher Lipscomb – Lipscomb Law Offices, Glendale – 30.8 (16,775)
Oneida County Circuit Court, Branch 2 (Vacant)
*John O’Melia – O’Melia, Schiek & McEldowney SC, Rhinelander – 35.2 percent (1,307 votes)
*Michael Bloom – Oneida County district attorney, Rhinelander – 34.7 (1,290)
Tim Vocke  – Vocke ADR, Rhinelander – 29.9 (1,109)

Rock County Circuit Court, Branch 7
*Barbara McCrory – Jefferson County Family Court commissioner, Jefferson – 28.5 percent (3,597 votes)
*Jack Hoag – Sedor & Hoag SC, Janesville – 23.3 (2,940)
Harry O’Leary – O’Leary Law Office, Janesville – 15.8 (1,996)
Mike Haakenson – Haakenson & Haakenson, Janesville – 12.3 (1,555)
Tom McDonald – McDonald Law Office SC, Janesville – 10.7 (1,353)
Tod Daniel – Tod O. Daniel Law Office, Janesville – 9.1 (1,143)