For the third time in the last four years, the Wisconsin Supreme Court is holding an open-seat election. While these elections are technically non-partisan, they have become increasingly ideological. After years of conservative control, a 10-point liberal victory flipped the court in 2023, creating a 4-3 majority that was upheld in 2025 with another 10-point liberal victory.
With Rebecca Bradley, a conservative justice, retiring, this year’s race cannot flip the balance, resulting in far less attention. A February poll from Marquette University Law School found that 6 percent of Wisconsin registered voters had heard or read “a lot” about the race, with 38 percent saying they had heard nothing at all. The candidates — Chris Taylor, a liberal, and Maria Lazar, a conservative, both of whom are currently on the state’s Court of Appeals — have raised roughly $4 million combined after more than $100 million was spent in both 2023 and 2025. If Taylor wins, the 5-2 liberal majority would be much harder for conservatives to flip.
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