Walker will wait to announce decision on court vacancy

BEAVER DAM, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker says he won’t make any announcements about his plans for filling a vacancy on the state Supreme Court until after Justice Patrick Crooks is buried on Saturday.

Crooks died in his chambers at the state Capitol on Monday. The 77-year-old was not seeking a third term. His current term runs through the end of July.

Walker can appoint a successor, and some conservatives are pressuring him to name state Appeals Court Judge Rebecca Bradley, who was already running to replace Crooks. Two others, Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg and Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Joseph Donald, are also running.

The primary is in February and the election is in April.

If Walker names Bradley to the seat, that would give her an advantage over the other two candidates.