In 2010, with Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and the Democratic-controlled Legislature in office, Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen was stymied when it came to challenging the federal health care reform law in court.

The November 2010 election of Republican Scott Walker, along with a GOP-controlled Legislature, was sure to change that.

And it did.

During the campaign, Walker pledged that on his first day in office he would authorize Van Hollen to join a challenge to the law or file a separate lawsuit on behalf of Wisconsin. Walker gave that permission on Jan. 3, 2011, soon after he was sworn in.

Critics and supporters of the health reform plan will debate the wisdom of Wisconsin"s challenge. And that challenge, whether filed separately or joined to an existing suit, faces a long road -- one experts agree is certain to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court before the constitutionality of the reforms is settled.

Walker"s pledge was limited to fighting the changes, by allowing Van Hollen to pursue the matter in court. On that, his action rates as a Promise Kept.