FLASHBACK: Obama's Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Threatened at "Knife Fight" with Republicans Trying to Stop Their Agenda

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder came to Milwaukee Thursday to implore liberal activists to turn out the vote for Supreme Court candidate Rebecca Dallet and fight election maps that favor Republicans.



Holder, who served in President Barack Obama's administration, said the Milwaukee County judge is "the clear choice" in the race and lauded her for being "tough, fair and compassionate."



Meanwhile, Republicans stepped up their attacks against Dallet, questioning her ability to hear certain types of cases and criticizing her for a San Francisco fundraiser.



In the April 3 election, Dallet faces Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock, who has won the backing of Republicans.



The winner will replace Justice Michael Gableman, who is not seeking a second term. Gableman is part of the court's 5-2 conservative majority.



Holder heads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which is spending $140,000 on digital ads backing Dallet. He said his group will be monitoring the race over the next two weeks and said it was a "distinct possibility" that it would be spending more in support of Dallet.



Last month, Holder's group sued GOP Gov. Scott Walker to try to force him to hold elections to fill two vacant seats in the state Legislature. Holder chided Walker for keeping the seats vacant while also calling for a special legislative session on school safety.



"He considers himself a conservative, I'd say he's regressive," Holder said of Walker. "He's doing whatever he can to maintain power, surrounding himself with people who share those views."





Heading to the fall elections, Holder said Democrats need to be more disciplined and focused to match Republicans.



"We have to be ready to, you know, not do anything inappropriate, not do anything improper, certainly not do anything unlawful," he said. "But to the extent that they want to have a fight, let's do it. You want to rumble, let's rumble. You want to have a knife fight, we're gonna do it."