Wisconsin Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor defeated Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar to expand the liberal majority on the state’s supreme court. Liberals now hold a 5-2 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Taylor, a former Democratic state representative who will succeed a retiring conservative justice, won the contest in a highly partisan race despite being officially non-partisan. State Supreme Court elections in Wisconsin have become increasingly partisan in recent cycles. In last year’s election, when the court’s majority was at stake, outside money flooded in and out-of-state volunteers conducted door-to-door campaigns across the state. One of the largest contributors was Trump ally Elon Musk, who headlined a rally days before the election and wore a Green Bay Packers cheesehead hat. Musk also personally handed out $1 million checks to voters.

The liberal candidate won last year’s race by a larger-than-expected margin to capture a 4-3 majority on the state Supreme Court. Since the majority was not at stake this year, the campaign battle did not receive national resources, money, or attention.

Liberals took control of the state Supreme Court in 2023, ending a decade and a half of conservative dominance. Since then, they have reversed several election-related rulings by the prior conservative majority, including one that banned absentee ballot drop boxes. The victory strengthens the liberal majority on the court as pending cases affecting congressional redistricting, union rights, and other hot button issues await.

This marks liberals’ largest majority on the state’s supreme court in decades. Liberal candidates have won four straight Wisconsin Supreme Court elections and five of the last six. Since 2017, Democratic-aligned candidates have secured 19 out of the last 24 statewide races in Wisconsin. Taylor, who was backed by the state Democratic Party, held significant fundraising and advertising advantages over Lazar throughout the race. She emphasized abortion and voting rights as central issues in her campaign—a focus that has resonated with voters, much like other winning liberal Supreme Court candidates in recent years. A former policy director for the state’s Planned Parenthood group, Taylor also strategically targeted President Donald Trump in her messaging, a tactic that has helped mobilize Democratic voters in non-presidential elections across Wisconsin and nationally.