Conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley announced she will not seek reelection in 2026, marking a pivotal shift in the state’s judicial landscape. Bradley, first elected in 2016, said Friday that “the best path for me to rebuild the conservative movement and fight for liberty is not as a minority member of the Court.”
Bradley’s decision follows months of speculation about her future. Though she told WisPolitics in April she expected to run again, she raised no money in the first half of 2024, fueling doubts about her intentions.
Bradley, in her statement, warned that judicial activism is eroding the court’s integrity. “For years I have warned that under the control of judicial activists, the court will make itself more powerful than the legislature, more powerful than the governor,” she said.
With Donald Trump now back in the White House, there had been speculation that Bradley might be positioning herself for a federal appointment. However, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported that she did not apply for a federal judgeship, even as Trump officials interviewed other candidates for openings.”
Her departure leaves conservatives without an incumbent candidate and hands liberals a decisive opportunity. (RELATED: Evers Vetoes Crime Bill on Probation, Parole, and Extended Supervision)
Attention now turns to possible successors. Some conservatives may look at Waukesha County Judge Jennifer Dorow to run. Dorow, who gained prominence presiding over the Darrell Brooks parade massacre trial. Dorow previously lost a primary to former Justice Daniel Kelly, who went on to be defeated by Janet Protasiewicz by 11 points.
Other prospective GOP-aligned candidates include Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar.
On the liberal side, Wisconsin Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor—a former Democratic legislator and Planned Parenthood policy director—has already launched her campaign, branding herself as a progressive voice on the court. Taylor has raised nearly 600,000 in the first fundraising period and has not liberal aligned primary challenge.
Bradley’s exit is the latest in a string of setbacks for conservatives, who have lost four Supreme Court races by double digits since 2017. Her decision virtually guarantees liberal dominance on the Wisconsin Supreme Court for years to come.
The court is currently split 4–3 in favor of liberals. If liberals win Bradley’s seat, the balance will shift to 5–2, effectively locking conservatives out of regaining control of Wisconsin’s highest court until well into the next decade. A 5–2 court would cement liberal influence on redistricting, abortion policy, and separation-of-powers disputes for many years to come.
(RELATED: Wisconsin Court Commissioner Resigns Over Immigration Dispute)
