Overview

• Maria Lazar, a state appeals judge and former Wisconsin Department of Justice attorney, announced her campaign on Oct. 1 for the open seat.
• She is the first conservative to enter the contest and will face liberal Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor in an April 7, 2026 election for a 10-year term.
• The vacancy follows Justice Rebecca Bradley’s decision not to seek reelection, which left liberals with a 4-3 majority.
• Taylor has been campaigning since May and reported raising more than $1 million by August, placing Lazar at an early financial disadvantage.
• Key cases that could reach the court involve abortion, collective bargaining, redistricting, and election rules, after recent races drew record spending from national donors including Elon Musk and George Soros.