Chris Taylor secures double-digit victory in Wisconsin Supreme Court race to expand liberal majority

Liberal judge Chris Taylor defeats Maria Lazar to expand Wisconsin's Supreme Court majority to 5-2, securing control of the high court until at least 2030.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 8, 2026, 4:42 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PBS News

Liberal Majority Strengthened in Pivotal Swing State

Democratic-backed candidate Chris Taylor has won a ten-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, handily defeating Republican-supported Maria Lazar. With over 85 percent of the vote counted late Tuesday, Taylor held a commanding lead of 59.8 percent to Lazar’s 40.1 percent, marking a fourth consecutive victory for liberal judicial candidates in the state since 2020. This win expands the liberal majority to 5-2, providing a significant firewall for upcoming cases involving redistricting, union rights, and election procedures ahead of the 2028 presidential cycle.

Abortion Rights and Judicial Activism Dominate Campaign

The race functioned as a referendum on reproductive healthcare, with Taylor framing the contest as a direct vote on abortion access. A former attorney for Planned Parenthood, Taylor utilized a massive fundraising advantage to run television advertisements asserting that "abortion is on the ballot." Conversely, Lazar, a state Appeals Court judge, attempted to characterize Taylor as a "radical legislator" and a partisan activist. Lazar faced criticism during the campaign for her previous defense of restrictive abortion laws and her description of the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a "wise" decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Strategic Gains for Democrats Ahead of Midterms

The outcome of the judicial race provides significant momentum for Wisconsin Democrats as they prepare for a high-stakes November election focused on the governor’s office and the state Legislature. Since taking control of the court in 2023, liberal justices have already struck down a 19th-century abortion ban and ordered the implementation of new legislative maps. Taylor’s victory reinforces these efforts, as the court is currently poised to hear challenges to a 2011 law that effectively ended collective bargaining for most public workers, a cornerstone of the state's conservative movement.