Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar says she’s still weighing whether to run for the state Supreme Court in 2025 as former GOP AG Brad Schimel prepares to launch his bid.
Schimel, a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge, has a “special announcement” planned Thursday in Waukesha. WisPolitics reported in late October that Schimel had been traveling the state in recent months with an eye toward a possible Supreme Court run in 2025, and sources said Schimel is expected to formally launch his bid on Thursday.
Liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley has said she plans to seek another 10-year term in spring 2025. The race will be the first chance for conservatives to flip back control of the court after liberals took a 4-3 majority in August when Janet Protasiewicz joined the bench. If they fail, control of the court wouldn’t be up again until at least 2028 with the terms of conservatives Rebecca Bradley and Annette Ziegler up in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Lazar told WisPolitics last month that she was considering a run. She said in an interview Monday she plans to take the next couple of months to make a final decision. She served in the Department of Justice under Schimel and was a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge prior to winning a 2022 race for a spot on the Waukesha-based 2nd District Court of Appeals.
“I have not made a decision despite the fact that Brad’s announcing,” Lazar said.
Schimel has been on the Waukesha County Circuit Court since former GOP Gov. Scott Walker appointed him to the post in November 2018 after both lost their reelection bids that fall. He took office that January and was unopposed in April 2019 as he won a full six-year term. Schimel would have to give up his circuit court seat to run for the state Supreme Court.
Johnny Koremenos, a former Schimel aide, called the Waukesha judge “exactly the candidate we need” and said he will support anything the former AG wants to do.
“I will be volunteering my time to help him get across the finish line,” Koremenos said.
See details of Schimel’s announcement here.
