Chris Taylor wins Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, expands liberal majority

Liberals expanded their majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in an election Tuesday, cementing their grip on a key battleground state in a ballot box showdown that received limited national attention but added much to the outcome.

Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor, a former Democratic state representative, defeated conservative Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar, the Associated Press reported.

Taylor will replace the retiring conservative justice, and with the victory, liberals will increase their majority on the state Supreme Court to 5-2.

Although officially a nonpartisan contest, state Supreme Court elections in Wisconsin have become extremely partisan in recent election cycles.

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With the court’s majority on the line in last year’s contest, outside money poured in and door knockers from out of state flooded Wisconsin. One of the biggest spenders was Trump ally Elon Musk, who headlined a rally days before the election and wore the cheese-head hat worn by Green Bay Packers fans. Musk also personally distributed $1 million checks to voters.

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The Liberal candidate won that election by a larger-than-expected margin, securing a 4-3 majority on the state Supreme Court.

Then-Trump advisor Elon Musk attended a town hall meeting in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in March. Musk and his super PACs spent more than $2 million to support conservative Supreme Court nominee Brad Schimel’s campaign. (Scott Olson/Getty)

With no majority at stake in this year’s showdown, no national resources, money or attention were devoted to the campaign fight.

“Tonight, the people of Wisconsin stood up for our courts and for a strong State Supreme Court that will protect our freedoms, our democracy, our elections, and the independence of our beloved state,” Taylor told supporters at the victory celebration.

“The fight is not over, and we will continue to fight for our courts because they are that important,” Lazar told supporters in his concession speech.

With most votes counted, Taylor had a 19-point-than-expected lead over Lazar. And national Democrats were quick to tout overperformance.

“Wisconsin voters showed up and sent another big message to Republicans, giving them a liberal majority by 2030!” Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said in a social media post.

Liberals take control of the state Supreme Court in 2023, ending fifteen years of conservative control. After gaining the majority, liberals reversed several electoral decisions of the previous conservative majority; This includes banning absentee ballot drop boxes.

The Wisconsin state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, on April 1, 2025. Republicans control both houses of the state legislature, while Democrats control the governor’s office. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

This year’s campaign has focused on abortion rights, congressional redistricting and union rights cases that will likely come before the state Supreme Court.

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The judicial ballot showdown comes six months before Wisconsin’s November election, in which Democrats aim to retain control of the governor’s office and potentially flip the state legislature that Republicans have controlled for 15 years.