Overview

• Lazar, a District 2 Court of Appeals judge and former Waukesha County circuit judge, launched her bid for the open seat created when Justice Rebecca Bradley declined to run.
• The officially nonpartisan race features liberal Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor, a former Democratic lawmaker who has been campaigning since May.
• A top-two primary is set for Feb. 17, 2026, with the general election scheduled for April 7 for a 10-year term on the court.
• Lazar framed her campaign around resisting politicization and record spending in recent court races, calling herself an independent, impartial judge.
• Taylor’s campaign labeled Lazar extreme and pointed to her DOJ work defending Republican-backed laws on collective bargaining, voter ID, maps and abortion, issues that could return to the court and prompt recusal questions.