2026 Will See a Major Wisconsin Supreme Court Race. Yes, Another One
The seemingly rapid-fire judicial elections have captured national attention since at least 2020, when liberal Jill Karofsky upset Trump-endorsed incumbent Dan Kelly and reduced the court’s conservative majority to a bare 4-3. Three years later, Janet Protasiewicz beat the returning Kelly again, in what was then the most expensive judicial race in United States history (and one that gave the liberals a majority). That spending record was shattered in 2025 when liberal Susan Crawford won, maintaining the liberal majority despite Elon Musk’s $25 million contribution to Republican-backed Brad Schimel (and his attempts to bribe Republican voters with oversized $1 million checks)........
Maria Lazar, a conservative state appeals court judge and leading Republican-backed candidate, has said that she won’t say on the campaign trail how she’ll vote on potential cases, lamenting that judicial ethics have been “thrown out the window” in recent races. This is likely a dig at Protasiewicz, who was unusually candid during her race about her stance on expected redistricting and abortion cases.
Lazar can try to be high-minded, but the race will fall along flat partisan lines. A former assistant attorney general under Gov. Scott Walker (R), she defended a notorious anti-union law in high-profile court hearings, fought for an aggressive Republican gerrymander and defended voter ID laws and abortion restrictions.
Chris Taylor, a liberal judge at the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the leading candidate backed by Democrats, was formerly a member of the Wisconsin state assembly representing parts of Madison and worked as public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/fivepoints/2026-will-see-a-major-wisconsin-supreme-court-race-yes-another-one