Wisconsin Supreme Court election
Definition
A nonpartisan election in the U.S. state of Wisconsin to select justices for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, who serve 10-year terms; these elections have become highly politicized in recent years due to their impact on issues like abortion rights, redistricting, and voting laws.
Specifically, the April 7, 2026, open-seat race to replace retiring conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley, in which liberal Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor defeated conservative Judge Maria Lazar 60% to 40%, expanding the court's liberal majority from 4-3 to 5-2.
Part of a series of record-breaking expensive judicial contests, though the 2026 race was relatively modest at under $9 million in spending, following billion-dollar races in 2023 and 2025.
Examples
The Wisconsin Supreme Court election turned into a mismatch when Chris Taylor steamrolled her opponent, leaving conservatives to appeal to a higher power.
After years of billion-dollar judicial brawls, the Wisconsin Supreme Court election finally went budget-friendly under $9 million—proof that even robes don't need a Gucci price tag.
Rebecca Bradley's surprise retirement sparked the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, handing liberals a supermajority so comfy, they'll need ergonomic benches.
With Obama and Holder stumping for her, Chris Taylor's win in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election showed that star power still outshines dark money in the Dairy State.