MADISON -- A month ago, liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis B. Butler had no challengers for his re-election next year. Now he has two.

Sun Prairie lawyer Charlie Schutze last week officially joined the Republican race to unseat Butler, who was appointed in 2004 by Democrat Gov. Jim Doyle. Butler is Wisconsin's first African-American Supreme Court Justice.

Former GOP attorney-general candidate Paul Bucher has already expressed a strong interest in running in the officially non-partisan contest, LNL reported last month. Bucher has not yet officially filed to run against Butler, whom he called "an activist and he's proud of it."

Schutze called himself a conservative alternative on announcing his recent decision to join the race, AP reported. He also declared himself concerned at the direcion of Wisconsin's business climate under the present Supreme Court.

The seven-person Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently thought to be in balance, with three conservatives, three liberals and a 'swing' vote. Justice Butler is considered one of the liberal camp's staunchest votes.

"No seat on the Supreme Court should ever go unopposed, especially when that seat is currently held by a liberal political appointee and not an elected official," Schutze stated.

However, Butler has been preparing for his retention for months and his campaign reported in July it had raised $176,000, AP noted. Wisconsin's most recent Supreme Court election earlier this year, won by conservative Annete Ziegler, spent a total of almost $6 million.

Schutze applied for the Supreme Court vacancy in 2004 that eventually went to Butler, and most recently ran unsuccessfully for Sun Prairie municipal judge in 2007, AP reported. Bucher lost the Republican AG primary last year to eventual victor J.B. Van Hollen.