Meet the 3 candidates vying for Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch 1 judge in the spring primary
OSHKOSH ― Two circuit court commissioners are facing off against a former Winnebago County Circuit Court judge in the race for Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch 1 judge.
One-time Winnebago County judge LaKeisha Haase and commissioners Eric Heywood and Michael D. Rust are vying for the seat in the spring election after incumbent Teresa Basiliere opted not to seek reelection.
Appointed to the court in 2020 by Gov. Tony Evers, Haase lost her reelection bid for Branch 4 two years ago before failing to unseat Branch 2 incumbent Scott Woldt in a very contentious 2023 race.
In 2021, Woldt received a rare suspension without pay for seven days from the Wisconsin Supreme Court because of misconduct the court deemed “to be serious and to have a significant detrimental impact on the public’s view of the judiciary.”
Haase, Heywood and Rust, who are all seeking a six-year term on the bench, will first face a primary election Feb. 20.
The top two finishers from that primary will then go forward to the April 2 general election.
All three candidates will have a chance to field questions from the community when the League of Women Voters of Winnebago County hosts the first of three primary election forums at Oshkosh City Hall Jan. 31.
Ahead of those forums, the Oshkosh Northwestern asked the candidates to a series of questions explaining why they’re running for office, what makes them the best candidate and how they intend to address their residents’ issues. Here are their responses, which were edited for length.
Election preview: 5 candidates vie for 3 Oshkosh Common Council seats. Here's a full look at the spring election.
LaKeisha Haase
Age: 44
City of residence: Oshkosh
Occupation: Litigation attorney with Renning, Lewis & Lacy, S.C.
Highest education level: Juris Doctor, Marquette University Law School
Relevant experience: Winnebago County Circuit Court judge, Branch IV; trial attorney with the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office; litigation attorney in both the federal and circuit; judicial assistant in Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch IV; court assistant in Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch I; volunteer attorney for Winnebago Free Legal Assistance Clinic; Drug and Alcohol Treatment Court professional; presiding judge for state high school mock trial competitions
Campaign website or Facebook page: www.JudgeHaase.com; www.Facebook.com/HaaseforJudge
Eric Heywood
Age: 37
City of residence: Neenah
Occupation: Judicial Court Commissioner
Highest education level: Juris Doctor, University of Wisconsin Law School
Relevant experience: 13 years as a prosecutor, public defender and judicial court commissioner. Developed diversion programs, treatment courts and mental health law resources.
Campaign website or Facebook page: www.facebook.com/heywoodforjudge; www.heywoodforjudge.com
Michael D. Rust
Age: 45
City of residence: Oshkosh
Occupation: Circuit Court commissioner
Highest education level: Juris Doctorate, Marquette University Law School
Relevant experience: CEO of Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center from 2013 to 2022; Circuit Court commissioner for Winnebago County Circuit Courts from 2022 to current.
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rust4judge
Why are you running for office?
Haase: I have a passion for justice, a commitment to upholding the rule of law, and a desire to contribute to the legal system's fairness and effectiveness.
Heywood: I dedicated my career to public service and want to make a bigger impact in our community. I grew up here and am raising my daughters here with my wife. I want to keep Winnebago County a safe and stable place to raise a family.
Rust: My legal career has been focused on helping people resolve conflicts. I spent more than a decade as a professional neutral, including nine-and-a-half years as CEO of the Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center and Fond du Lac Conflict Resolution Center. I then transitioned into my role as Circuit Court commissioner.
Why are you the best candidate in this race?
Haase: I am the only candidate with experience as a circuit court judge. My experience on the bench and expansive legal career, coupled with my commitment of service to our community is why I am the best candidate. Preparedness, integrity, and commitment to the rule of law are my guiding principles.
Heywood: I am the only candidate with extensive courtroom experience in prosecution, defense and judicial roles. This broad background allows me to see cases from multiple perspectives and make fair decisions. I am committed to knowing and following the law, and treating people with dignity and respect from the bench.
Rust: Neutrality is an essential quality for judges. I received the 2022 Lifetime Legal Innovation Award by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Innovation within the legal system is essential in providing effective justice to the public in the most efficient and at the least cost to the taxpayers.
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What are residents telling you are the most important issues and how would you work to address them?
Haase: Protection of the community. Fairness, honesty, transparency, and upholding the Constitution is how I preside over every case that comes before me. I am mindful of the balance between protecting the community, the character and rehabilitative needs of the defendant, and the gravity of the offense. I am a proponent of diversion programs, alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders, and addressing the underlying causes that lead to non-violent offenses, all in an effort to reduce recidivism. Violent offenses demand that I give even greater consideration to incarceration in an effort to properly and adequately protect the community.
Heywood: Residents shared their concerns about drug addiction, mental health and housing access. The growing issues of drug addiction, fentanyl and mental health are taking more lives in our community. As court commissioner, I work with sobriety monitoring programs, treatment courts and connections to public and private services. I partnered with the Conflict Resolution Center to increase opportunities for mediation between landlords and tenants in eviction cases. As a judge, I would continue to use tools and resources to address these safety and stability issues in our community.
Rust: Neutrality, ethics and mental health. The importance of the neutrality of the judiciary is essential to the functioning of the American system. My professional ethics will continue to be a driving force in how I run my courtroom, but also handle matters outside of the courthouse. Finally, we have a mental health crisis in our community. My undergraduate degrees are in neuroscience and psychology from Carthage College in Kenosha (with minors in biology and entrepreneurial studies). I have spoken with many public safety and mental health professionals in our community who are concerned about the lack of appropriate treatment.
Have a story tip or public interest concern? Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Winnebago County judge candidates share views in primary election
