Chris Taylor Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat, Expanding Liberal Majority

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin voters elected appeals court Judge Chris Taylor to the state Supreme Court on Tuesday, a victory for the Democratic-backed candidate that will expand the court’s liberal majority to 5-2.

Taylor, who serves on the District IV Court of Appeals, defeated fellow appellate Judge Maria Lazar, who was backed by conservatives. According to the certified canvass later issued by state election officials, Taylor received 905,510 votes, or 60.14%, to Lazar’s 600,256, or 39.86%.

Succeeding a Conservative Justice

Taylor will take office on Aug. 1, succeeding conservative Justice Rebecca Grassl Bradley, who did not seek reelection. Her 10-year term will run through July 31, 2036.

“It is the greatest honor of my life to be elected to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” Taylor said in a statement released by the state court system. She pledged that the court would “remain fiercely independent” and that the rule of law would be applied impartially “regardless of how powerful or privileged.”

Judicial and Legislative Experience

Taylor was elected to the Court of Appeals in 2023, where she reviews decisions from circuit courts in southwestern Wisconsin. She previously served on the Dane County Circuit Court after being appointed in 2020 and winning election the following year.

Before becoming a judge, she practiced law in Milwaukee and Madison and served nearly a decade as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

A Closely Watched Court

Although Wisconsin Supreme Court races are officially nonpartisan, they have become some of the most expensive and politically charged judicial contests in the country. Liberals won control of the court in 2023 for the first time in 15 years and retained it in 2025. The court has weighed in on high-profile issues including legislative district maps, abortion and election administration in a state that is regularly decided by narrow margins in presidential contests.

Taylor’s win marks the second contest in a run of six consecutive years in which Wisconsin Supreme Court seats are on the ballot, according to the state court system, giving both parties repeated opportunities to shape the court’s direction.

The result is also being read by strategists in both parties as an indicator of voter enthusiasm heading into November’s midterm elections, when Wisconsin will hold races for governor and other statewide offices.