Democratic-Backed Judge Chris Taylor Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Race, Expanding Liberal Majority to 5-2
Cover image from talkingpointsmemo.com, which was analyzed for this article
Democrat-aligned Judge Chris Taylor secured victory in Wisconsin's Supreme Court election, expanding the court's liberal majority to 5-2 and delivering a key win for Democrats on issues like abortion rights. The race drew national attention as a bellwether for judicial balance in a battleground state. Coverage highlighted Democrats' off-year overperformance.
PoliticalOS
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 — Politics
Chris Taylor's decisive win solidifies Wisconsin Supreme Court's 5-2 liberal majority through 2030, amid pending cases on abortion, unions, redistricting and elections. Nonpartisan races draw partisan money, with this quieter $8.9M contest following $100M+ predecessors. Readers should note fiscal contexts like Act 10 and recent map rulings for balanced policy views.
What outlets missed
Most outlets downplayed Act 10's 2011 fiscal crisis context ($3.6 billion deficit) framing it solely as union power limits, omitting savings from employee contributions. They underemphasized the nonpartisan ballot structure despite partisan backing, and recent March 31, 2026, federal dismissal of a congressional gerrymander suit. Full justice names and Bradley's exact retirement timeline were often glossed over, as was precise 2022 map imposition details amid legislative impasse.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic-backed appeals court Judge Chris Taylor defeated Republican-backed appeals court Judge Maria Lazar in Wisconsin's nonpartisan Supreme Court election on April 7, 2026, securing a 10-year term and expanding the court's liberal majority from 4-3 to 5-2, according to results reported by the Associated Press and the New York Times election tracker.
With 95% of votes counted as of April 8, 2026 morning, Taylor held 60.1% (901,822 votes) to Lazar's 39.8% (597,291 votes), per the New York Times tracker cited in Talking Points Memo reporting. The race replaced retiring conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley, whose seat opened after her 2015 appointment by then-Gov. Scott Walker (R). Liberals — identified as Ann Walsh Bradley, Rebecca Dallet, Jill Karofsky and Janet Protasiewicz — now join Taylor for a 5-2 majority with conservatives Annette Ziegler and Brian Hagedorn, per Wisconsin Courts records and Ballotpedia.