Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar announced Oct. 1 her candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, becoming the second candidate hoping to fill Justice Rebecca Bradley’s seat.
“We need to draw a line in the sand and stop the destruction of our courts, especially in our State Supreme Court,” Lazar said. “I am an independent, impartial judge who strives to follow the law and the Constitution in every decision I make from the bench.”
She pledged to focus her campaign on how she has ruled on previous cases and her decision-making process, rather than speculating on how she would vote on future cases, citing concerns over judicial ethics in recent races.
“[I] promise to never be swayed by political considerations,” she said.
Lazar criticized her opponent, 4th District Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor, a former Democratic lawmaker, for lacking judicial experience and being a “politician first.”
Following Lazar’s statement, Ashley Franz, Taylor’s campaign manager, released a statement calling out Lazar on her extremism. (RELATED: Boston BLM Activist Plans To Plead Guilty Ahead of 27 Counts of Fraud)
“Just like Rebecca Bradley, Maria Lazar has spent her career rolling back people’s rights, attacking reproductive health care and voting rights, and doing the bidding of powerful special interests and her billionaire friends,” Franz said.
Pro-Life Wisconsin endorsed Lazar, claiming she is “the only choice for pro-life voters,” whereas Taylor is a former employee of Planned Parenthood and was very vocal about abortion rights as a lawmaker. The election is April 7, 2026.
Liberal candidates have claimed victory in four of the last five Supreme Court elections, resulting in a 4-3 majority as of 2023 and ending 15 years of conservative dominance. Even if they lose the April election, they would retain their majority until at least 2028, while a win would increase it to 5-2. (RELATED: Victims’ Rights Law At Center of Bradley-Taylor Wisconsin Supreme Court Election)
