Former Justice Dan Kelly Joins Advancing American Freedom
The former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice is taking on a role at the conservative advocacy organization.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly has accepted a position as a visiting judicial fellow with Advancing American Freedom. The role is based at the group's Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law.
Why it matters
The appointment links a prominent legal figure from the Wisconsin judiciary with the advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence. It highlights the continued intersection of state judicial experience and national conservative legal policy.
Dan Kelly previously served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a four-year term ending in 2020. The appointment involves his work as a visiting judicial fellow at the Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law.
The players
Dan Kelly
He is a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who also served as legal counsel for the state's Republican Party.
Advancing American Freedom
This conservative advocacy organization was founded by former Vice President Mike Pence to influence national policy.
Mike Pence
He is the former Vice President of the United States who founded the Advancing American Freedom advocacy group in 2021.
The details
Dan Kelly brings experience from his time on the bench and his work as counsel for the Wisconsin GOP following the 2020 election. His new role at Advancing American Freedom follows two recent unsuccessful campaigns for seats on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2020 and 2023.
Timeline
Dan Kelly served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 2016 to 2020.
Dan Kelly ran for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2020 and 2023.
Mike Pence founded Advancing American Freedom in 2021.
Dan Kelly joined Advancing American Freedom in October 2026.
Legal Context
This move follows the standard trajectory of former jurists who leverage their experience from the Wisconsin Supreme Court in national advocacy roles. It parallels recent trends of high-level state legal figures transitioning into private-sector policy organizations.
The appointment provides Wisconsin residents with insight into the next professional chapter of a former state justice. It signals where legal experts with ties to the Wisconsin GOP may focus their future advocacy efforts on a national scale.
The takeaway
The addition of a former high-court justice to a national advocacy group reflects the ongoing professional shift of state judicial figures toward policy think tanks. Readers can monitor these movements to see how state-level legal experience influences future national policy debates.
Further reading
For more on the legal landscape in the state, visit Wisconsin Criminal Justice.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Washington Times.
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