Wisconsin Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor defeated Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar to expand the liberal majority on the state’s supreme court. Liberals now hold a 5-2 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, with Taylor succeeding a retiring conservative justice.
Taylor, a former Democratic state representative, entered the race as a non-partisan contest but won by a margin larger than anticipated in a highly partisan election cycle. State Supreme Court elections have become increasingly partisan recently, with outside money and extensive door-knocking operations dominating campaigns. One notable spender was Elon Musk, who attended rallies and distributed $1 million checks to voters ahead of the election.
Following last year’s contest, liberals reversed several key election-related rulings made by the prior conservative majority, including a decision that banned absentee ballot drop boxes. Taylor’s victory marks their largest majority on the state supreme court in decades, extending their four-straight wins for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates and securing 19 of the last 24 statewide races since 2017.
The candidate leveraged abortion rights and voting access as central campaign themes while targeting messaging that resonated with Democratic voters nationwide, including those engaged in non-presidential elections. Her victory strengthens liberal control over critical cases affecting congressional redistricting and union rights.
