MADISON -- The liberal Justice considered most vulnerable in next year's Wisconsin Supreme Court elections at last has a likely conservative opponent.

Republican former attorney general candidate Paul Bucher has expressed strong interest in taking on sitting Justice Louis B. Butler, the Court's only African-American. Butler was appointed by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle in 2004.

Bucher ran against ultimate winner J.B. Van Hollen for the Republican nomination for Wisconsin attorney general in last year's election. The former Waukesha County District Attorney has a popular reputation for being tough on crime.

Thursday, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's AllPoliticsWatch blog site that he was huddling-up on a possible run at Butler SC bench spot next year.

Bucher stuck a target firmly on Butler, considered the SC's most liberal judge, in doing so. "There's only one item that's worth focusing on in this race, and that is judicial philosophy," Bucher told the blog. "He's an activist and he's proud of it."

But taking on the well-financed, well-organized Butler won't exactly be a Lambeau tailgate, LegalNewsLine pointed out last month. The incumbent's campaign already is humming and he's been raising funds and recruiting volunteers for several months now.

Shortly after losing last year's GOP AG primary, Bucher joined New Berlin-based law firm Gatzke and Ruppelt as an attorney. The firm lists campaigns/elections, open meetings and victims rights amongst his practice areas.

Liberal Wisconsin political blogger Dan Cody accused Bucher in his statement of trying to have it both ways. "At the same time you're claiming you haven't made up your mind regarding the race, [you] start trying to label your opponent as an 'activist,'" Cody wrote.

The Supreme Court election is set for April of next year, while Butler's term on the Supreme Court ends in July 2008.