Democratic-Backed Judge Chris Taylor Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Race, Expanding Liberal Majority to 5-2

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.

The election drew $8.9 million in spending as of late March 2026, with Taylor's campaign and allies holding a 9-1 advantage, according to WisPolitics.com analysis cited in the Washington Post. Taylor, 52, a former Democratic state legislator and Planned Parenthood lobbyist, received endorsements from Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), former Attorney General Eric Holder and former President Barack Obama in the campaign's final week, per Talking Points Memo and Wisconsin Public Radio. Lazar, 54, a former deputy attorney general under Walker, visited county Republican offices to close out campaigning, as noted by the Washington Post.

Wisconsin Supreme Court races are officially nonpartisan, with no party labels on ballots, but received heavy partisan funding and endorsements, Ballotpedia confirms. Taylor campaigned on reproductive rights, criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, per Washington Post debate coverage. In 2024, the state court blocked enforcement of an 1849 abortion ban nearly all abortions; Taylor praised the 4-3 ruling, while Lazar said she would respect precedent without specifying her vote, according to the same report.

On unions, Taylor has criticized 2011's Act 10, which limited public employee collective bargaining amid a $3.6 billion two-year state budget deficit, requiring contributions of about 5.8% of salary to pensions and 12.6% to health premiums (exempting public safety unions), per Wisconsin legislative records and Wikipedia summary. Lazar defended Act 10 as state attorney; a new challenge is pending before appeals court, potentially reaching the Supreme Court, Washington Post reported. Both candidates recused from commenting on merits.

Redistricting disputes loom: Current congressional maps, imposed by state court in 2022 on a 'least change' basis from 2011 after legislative deadlock post-2020 census, yield six Republican and two Democratic House seats, per Wisconsin Supreme Court order and Washington Post. Taylor, as lawmaker, opposed GOP gerrymanders; Lazar defended 2012 maps as state attorney and opposes frequent litigation, favoring decennial redraws, the Post noted. A three-judge federal panel dismissed a gerrymander challenge on March 31, 2026, citing no authority to override state maps, Wisconsin Public Radio reported — disputed fact, as state panels may still rule.

Election administration cases may arise, as in 2020 when the then-conservative court 4-3 upheld Joe Biden's win over Donald Trump. Taylor affirmed the ruling; Lazar acknowledged Biden's victory but declined to say how she would rule, per Washington Post. Justice Bradley's 2022 Teigen v. WEC opinion banned unstaffed drop boxes on statutory grounds (Wis. Stat. § 6.87); liberals overturned it in 2024's Priorities USA on municipal discretion, not fraud claims, court records show — Guardian misattributed it to 'false fraud claims.'

This marks the fourth straight win for liberal-aligned candidates: In April 2023, Janet Protasiewicz's victory in the U.S.'s most expensive judicial race ($100 million+, per Brennan Center cited in Guardian) flipped the court 4-3 liberal after 15 years of conservative control. In 2025, Susan Crawford prevailed, per Talking Points Memo. Liberals now control until at least 2030, though Taylor warned turnover risk in Politico interview cited by Guardian.

The 'sleepy' race followed high-drama predecessors, with over half of voters undecided in Marquette Law School's March 2026 poll, per Guardian. Taylor barnstormed; Lazar called her opponent too partisan, saying 'the court is not for sale' at a GOP event, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. Taylor emphasized a 'pro-democracy majority' at Democratic headquarters.

UW-Madison Prof. Howard Schweber told Talking Points Memo judicial panels are 'pretty much certain' to find maps unconstitutional — unverified prediction, as no public matching statement found; panels could redraw maps appealable to the court. Future cases may include electronic ballots for disabled voters and voter citizenship audits, per Votebeat cited in TPM.

Conservatives upheld GOP laws like voter photo ID and gun rights expansions pre-2023. No immediate rulings expected before fall 2026 midterms. Taylor's term runs through 2036.