Chris Taylor, a liberal judge from Wisconsin, secured a position on the state Supreme Court on Tuesday, marking another significant victory for liberals since President Donald Trump assumed office.
Taylor, who has been a Democratic state representative and is an appellate judge, emerged victorious over conservative appeals court judge Maria Lazar for a ten-year term. This win boosts the liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court to a 5-2 split.
This outcome is part of a series of special election wins for Democrats, indicating a challenging political climate for the GOP as the midterms approach in November.
Conservatives have not claimed a win in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court since a narrow victory by 6,000 votes in 2019. Since then, liberal judges Jill Karofsky, Janet Protasiewicz, Susan Crawford, and now Taylor, have easily won in a Wisconsin spring electorate that is increasingly leaning left.
If all justices serve their full terms, this victory ensures a liberal majority on the court until at least 2030.
Taylor’s victory was anticipated. Days before the election, Wisconsin Republicans acknowledged that Lazar had little chance of winning, with GOP donors withholding financial support, as the majority was not at risk in this election.
The election garnered considerably less attention than last year’s race, where Crawford defeated her conservative rival by over 10 points. In that race, Elon Musk, known as the world’s richest man and a Republican donor, invested millions in an effort to unseat Crawford, claiming the race was crucial for the future of “Western civilization.”
Recently, the court’s liberal judges have utilized their majority effectively. In 2023, they mandated new legislative maps in Wisconsin, ending a decade-long GOP gerrymander. Additionally, last July, the panel overturned a 176-year-old abortion ban in Wisconsin with a 4-3 decision.
Last year, the court also ruled that Democratic Governor Tony Evers could use his veto power to secure a 400-year funding increase for schools.
Both parties anticipate that the upcoming governor’s race in the fall will not mirror this spring’s Supreme Court campaign, as November elections in this battleground state are typically decided by narrow margins.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes are the leading Democrats competing for the opportunity to challenge Trump-endorsed Rep. Tom Tiffany for governor in November.
