Liberal-backed Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor defeated conservative-backed rival Maria Lazar for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, strengthening the liberal majority on the state’s highest court to 5-2.
Taylor thanked Wisconsinites for standing up “for a strong Supreme Court that will protect the independence of [the] beloved state” and called it an “honor” to win the position.
The Associated Press called the race for Taylor at 8:36 p.m. when she had 61.6% of the vote and Lazar 38.3%, with approximately 36% of the vote in.
According to a March 24 Marquette Law School poll, Taylor led at 23% among registered voters, compared to Lazar’s 17%. The poll reported 53% of voters were undecided and 7% said they wouldn’t vote.
Taylor worked as an attorney until 2003 and served as a Democrat in the state Assembly from 2011 to 2020. She was then appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to the Dane County Circuit Court in 2020 before being elected to the Court of Appeals in 2023.
“I have worked with Judge Taylor in the past on the Dane County Circuit Board,” Supreme Court Justice Susan Crawford told The Daily Cardinal. “I know what kind of hard worker she is, and I know what kind of commitment she has to justice.”
While both Lazar and Taylor championed partisan independence throughout this race, Taylor told the Cardinal in an interview last month her opponent is the only one “bringing politics to the bench.” Taylor said she believes what she learned from her time in the Legislature “made her a better judge.”
“I work to ensure that the cases and the people before me get a fair and deliberate consideration,” Taylor said at the party. “Politics has no place in the judiciary.”
Liberals flipped the court for the first time in 15 years when Justice Janet Protasiewicz won the race in 2023. Protasiewicz told the Cardinal that calling Taylor’s win “incredible is an understatement.”
“It tells us... people care about our Wisconsin values,” Protasiewicz said. “They care about women’s right to choose, fair maps, clean water, everything.”
Liberals maintained control of the court when Crawford beat Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel last year in the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history, tallying over $100 million in spending.
While this year’s race was lower profile, Taylor’s campaign and her supporters outspent Lazar’s nearly 9-to-1. Taylor’s backing is nearly $8 million while Lazar’s is just under $1 million.
In their April 2 debate, Taylor raised concern over the SAVE Act, a federal proposal requiring photo ID and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. She also said she would’ve voted with the liberal majority last year to overturn the 1849 abortion law that had banned the procedure.
“I’ve always valued every woman’s ability to make her own personal, private healthcare decisions,” Taylor said during her speech.
In the crowd of approximately 200 Taylor supporters chanting her name at the party, she emphasized her victory was for “everyone who believes the court should work for all of us.”
“Tonight, we stand strongly for a state supreme court that prioritizes the people of Wisconsin,” Taylor said. “I will be a justice for you, the people of Wisconsin.”
