In battleground Wisconsin, voters could grow liberal majority on state Supreme Court
Wisconsinites will vote for a new state Supreme Court justice on Tuesday in a race that could maintain or widen the court's liberal majority for years.
In a state home to some of the country's tightest races, Democrats have won four of the last five Supreme Court elections by large margins. President Donald Trump carried Wisconsin by less than a percentage point in 2024.
Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judges Chris Taylor and Maria Lazar are competing for an open seat to replace retiring conservative-aligned Justice Rebecca Bradley. Unlike last year's race, the ideological balance of the court is not in play. Yet the seven-member body has resolved disputes between the GOP-controlled state legislature and the Democratic governor.
In 2020, the court narrowly rejected a Trump lawsuit that would have tossed out more than 220,000 absentee ballots. And with the governor's seat and control of the statehouse up for grabs, this year could prove no different. Justices are elected to 10-year terms and could potentially hear election or redistricting-related litigation in the future.
Taylor is a former Dane County Circuit Court judge and former Democratic lawmaker representing deep-blue Madison in the state assembly. Lazar is a former Waukesha County Circuit Court judge and assistant attorney general during former Republican Gov. Scott Walker's tenure.
Though the race is nominally nonpartisan, the candidates have received endorsements from political figures. Former President Barack Obama endorsed Taylor, while Republican congressmen, including GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Tiffany, endorsed Lazar.
In 2023, liberals flipped the majority to 4-3 for the first time in 15 years. In 2025, another liberal victory preserved their control of the court until at least 2028.
Lazar is a self-described constitutional conservative who has focused her messaging on restoring impartiality to the court. She called Taylor "a radical, extreme legislator" while her opponent labeled Lazar as an extremist with a "right-wing political agenda" in a debate aired Thursday by ABC affiliate WISN.
The shadow of Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban, struck down by the court in 2025, also loomed large this year.
Asked how she would have ruled on that case, Lazar declined to answer. But she reiterated that she will honor the ruling, which reinstated what she called the "20-week compromise" in place before the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Though this race is attracting less national attention than in years prior, Taylor campaigned on similar issues that have worked in Democrats' favor. A former policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, her messaging has focused on protecting abortion and democracy.
She also hasn't shied away from addressing bread-and-butter issues. In one ad, she warned of rising costs and "extremists" stripping Wisconsinites of food assistance.
Taylor entered the race in May 2025. She significantly outraised and outspent Lazar, who launched her campaign five months later. Taylor raised nearly $2.1 million between Feb. 3 and March 23, while Lazar raised about $474,000 in the same period.
Compared to the record-setting levels of spending in the 2025 race, it's a drop in the bucket. That race saw total spending surpass $100 million, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk barnstormed Wisconsin that year, handing out controversial million-dollar checks and warning "Western civilization" was at stake.
There are roughly 3.6 million active registered voters in the state as of this month, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The latest tally shows that 324,396 people voted early.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. The new term will take effect on Aug. 1.
