Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley is not seeking another 10-year term, opening up her seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar and Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor are running in the April 7 election for the open seat.
While this election is officially nonpartisan, candidates often take stances on specific issues and receive backing from the state’s political parties.
Maria Lazar: Maria Lazar’s website says she is not a member of a political party, but an “independent, impartial judge who follows the law and Constitution in every decision I make.”
She grew up in Brookfield and earned her Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in political science and English from Mount Mary University in Milwaukee in 1986. She went on to receive Juris Doctor in 1989 from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
Lazar is a judge for District II of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. She was a judge on the Waukesha County Circuit Court from 2015 to 2021 and an assistant attorney general for the Wisconsin Department of Justice from 2010 to 2015. Before that, she worked in private practice.
She bills herself as “a seasoned jurist committed to the Constitution and the rule of law,” and adheres to a few underlying principles as appellate judge, which she would continue to do on the state supreme court.
“First, our written laws are a fundamental pillar in our democracy, and a judge must be independent of agendas, parties, and bias. Next, the law is to be a level playing field: no person is above or beneath the law.”
If elected, Lazar’s goal is to make decisions based on the rule of law — not based on personal feelings or “legislating from the bench” — on important topics such as abortion, fair maps, and religious freedoms.
She’s been endorsed by judges Annette Kingsland Ziegler, Patience Drake Roggensack and Jon P. Wilcox. Locally, Oneida County Sheriff Grady Hartman has also endorsed Lazar.
Chris Taylor: Chris Taylor is currently a judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
Originally from California, Taylor received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990 before attending UW Law School where she earned her Juris Doctor in 1995. She remained in Wisconsin, was admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin, and worked as a private practice attorney in Milwaukee and Madison as well as public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
Prior to joining the bench, Taylor served nearly a decade in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
In 2020, Taylor was appointed to the Dane County Circuit Court, and was elected to that position the following year. In 2023, Taylor was elected by voters in 24 counties to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, where she currently sits.
Taylor’s website says her judicial philosophy is “people-centered,” making sure individuals’ Constitutional rights are protected.
“She is a strong advocate for maintaining the independence of the judiciary, which must also serve as a check on the other branches of government,” the website says. “Chris has also been a champion for public safety and victims’ rights. From working to improve protections for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, to protecting the safety of our communities, she believes everyone has a right to be safe in their home and in their community.”
Taylor has been endorsed by judges Rebecca Dallet, Jill Karofsky, Janet Protasiewicz, Susan Craford, and Ann Walsh Bradley. At a local level, former Oneida County Circuit Court Robert Kinney has also endorsed Taylor.
According to Ballotpedia, liberals first won a 4-3 majority in the April 2023 election, when Janet Protasiewicz won an open seat, defeating Daniel Kelly 55.4% to 44.4% and shifting ideological control of the court for the first time in 15 years.
In April 2025, liberals retained their 4-3 majority, when Susan Crawford defeated Brad Schimel 55% to 44.9%. The last time a conservative won an election for Wisconsin Supreme Court was in 2019, when Brian Hagedorn defeated Lisa Neubauer 50.2% to 49.7%.
Ballotpedia also noted that liberals are expected to have a majority on the court until at least 2028. Bradley, who is not running for reelection, is a member of the court’s conservative minority. If Lazar wins her seat, the court would maintain its 4-3 liberal majority. If Taylor wins, the liberal majority would
Cloverland: Incumbents running unopposed include Mildred Ritzer, supervisor 3, and Joseph Spitz, supervisor 4.
Conover: Current supervisors 3 and 4, Bill Hogenmiller and Sean Lewis, respectively, are unopposed.
Phelps: Supervisor Jeremy Ryan is running to retain his seat, while Dave Selby filed for non-candidacy in December. Mary Ann Holcomb (known as “Mak”), has filed the necessary paperwork to run as a write-in candidate for a seat on the town board.
See related stories in this week’s edition for town contests in Lincoln, St. Germain and Three Lakes.
Northland Pines School Board: All uncontested, Incumbent Chris Petreikis for Area A, City of Eagle River, Towns of Cloverland, Lincoln, Washington; Jennifer Payne for Area B, Town of Conover; and Chelsea Romaker for Area E, Towns of St. Germain and Newbold.
Three Lakes School District: Board member Stacey Klein is running unopposed.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here