<div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-0"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">In October 2016, the day after <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html" title="">the release of the “Access Hollywood”</a> recording in which Donald J. Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women, Wisconsin Republicans held a rally in the small town of Elkhorn.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">As the state’s top Republicans spoke at the event, they distanced themselves from Mr. Trump. <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/us/politics/donald-trump-campaign.html" title="">Paul D. Ryan, then the House speaker</a>, said he was “sickened.” Gov. Scott Walker <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://x.com/ScottWalker/status/784578791364521984" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">declared that Mr. Trump’s remarks</a> were “inexcusable.” Senator Ron Johnson called them “indefensible.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Just one Republican took the stage, framed by haystacks and pumpkins, and came to Mr. Trump’s defense: <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/dgVb3QdghIo?si=yPOKNTDRhjOD5aO_&amp;t=2839" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Brad Schimel, then the state’s attorney general</a> and now a Waukesha County judge who is running in <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/us/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-race.html" title="">a high-profile, expensive race</a> for control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.</p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="Dropzone-1"></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-1"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“I know that Donald Trump has said some things that are bad,” Judge Schimel said as a voice in the crowd cried out, “Get over it!” He added: “I’m the father of two daughters. My daughters look up to me, and I don’t like hearing anyone talk that way about women. But Donald Trump will appoint judges who will defend our Constitution and respect our Constitution.”</p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="ImageBlock-3"><div data-testid="imageblock-wrapper"><figure aria-label="media" class="img-sz-medium css-1hs5yzu e1g7ppur0" role="group"><div class="css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-figure"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Image</span><div class="css-nwd8t8" data-testid="lazy-image"><div data-testid="lazyimage-container" style="height:515.5555555555555px"></div></div></div><figcaption class="css-gbc9ki ewdxa0s0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-caption"><span class="css-jevhma e13ogyst0">Mr. Schimel during a 2016 event. Alone among top Wisconsin Republicans, Mr. Schimel spoke up in defense of Donald J. Trump at a campaign event the day after the “Access Hollywood” recording put Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential bid in jeopardy.</span><span class="css-14fe1uy e1z0qqy90"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Credit...</span><span><span aria-hidden="false">Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, via Imagn</span></span></span></figcaption></figure></div></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-2"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Now, as Judge Schimel aims to return a conservative majority to the court after <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/us/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-protasiewicz.html" title="">Wisconsin liberals flipped it</a> in 2023, he is hoping to sustain the pro-Trump energy that helped the president carry the battleground state last fall.</p><div class="css-1336jj"><div class="css-121kum4"><div class="css-171quhb"></div><div class="css-asuuk5"><noscript><div class="css-7axq9l" data-testid="optimistic-truncator-noscript"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="css-1b5b8u1" height="24" viewbox="0 0 24 24" width="24"><path clip-rule="evenodd" d="M2.5 12a9.5 9.5 0 1 1 19 0 9.5 9.5 0 0 1-19 0Zm8.5 1.75v-7.5h2v7.5h-2Zm0 2v2h2v-2h-2Z" fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg><div class="css-6yo1no" data-testid="optimistic-truncator-noscript-message"><p class="css-3kpklk">We are having trouble retrieving the article content.</p><p class="css-3kpklk">Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.</p></div></div></noscript><div class="css-1dv1kvn" id="optimistic-truncator-a11y" tabindex="-1"><hr/><p>Thank you for your patience while we verify access. 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