Sowinski eyes Branch II seat

Assistant Oneida County district attorney Mary M. Sowinski is throwing her hat in the ring for circuit court judge.

According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission website, Sowinski filed a campaign registration statement on Dec. 26 for the office of Oneida County Circuit Court Judge Branch II.

The seat is currently held by Judge Mike Bloom, who is stepping down after 12 years on the bench. 

With his current term set to expire on July 31, 2024, Bloom filed a notice of non-candidacy for the 2024 election back on Nov. 27.

In a statement to the River News, the judge expressed his preference to have the voting public, rather than a political appointee, choose his successor.

“My way of thinking is that elected officials should err on the side of concluding their service a little early as opposed to hanging around too long,” the judge wrote in an email to the River News. “Also, I prefer to conclude my service at the end of a term rather than retiring in the middle of one, so that my successor is selected by the voting public and not a political appointee.”

Potential candidates for the Branch II judgeship have until 5 p.m. on Jan. 2 to file papers with the Wisconsin Election Commission. If necessary, a primary will take place on Feb. 20.

The general election is scheduled for April 2, coinciding with the state’s presidential preference primary.

As of this writing, the only other candidate for the Branch II judgeship is Oneida County corporation counsel Mike Fugle, who is making his second run for judicial office. 

In 2023, he was defeated by former Oneida County district attorney Mike Schiek in a February primary for the Branch I judgeship vacated when Judge Patrick O’Melia retired in August 2022.

Schiek went on to defeat Mary Roth Burns, who served as an interim judge for the remainder of O’Melia’s unexpired term following an appointment by Gov. Tony Evers.

Sowinski, who has experience both in private practice and as a prosecutor in the district attorney’s office, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the filing of her registration statement.

We expect to report additional information on the race as it takes shape.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].