One week out from the April 7 election, liberal Supreme Court candidate Chris Taylor and her backers had outspent conservative rival Maria Lazar and her supporters nearly 9-to-1, according to a WisPolitics review.

The nearly $8.9 million in spending tracked through yesterday is a fraction of the money spent on the last two Supreme Court races that determined ideological control.

Taylor’s campaign is the biggest spender in the race at more than $5.2 million. Through yesterday, she’d also reported $95,030 in in-kind donations for spending by others on her campaign’s behalf.

In all, the effort backing Taylor is nearly $8 million.

Lazar, meanwhile, has spent $645,498 while reporting $107,222 in in-kind donations.

Overall, the effort supporting Lazar is nearly $915,000.

WisPolitics compiled the numbers through campaign finance reports filed by both campaigns, independent expenditures filings with the state Ethics Commission and data tracked by AdImpact. The tally relied on spending detailed in Lazar and Taylor’s campaign finance reports, meaning their overall spending is likely higher with any ad buys reserved after the pre-election period closed March 23.

Among outside groups, the biggest spender has been A Better Wisconsin Together Inc.

The issue advocacy group has spent $1.1 million on digital ads knocking Lazar, a judge on the 2nd District Court of Appeals.

The group’s express advocacy arm — A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund — has reported another $348,264 to oppose Lazar and support Taylor, a judge on the 4th District Court of Appeals.

Another 16 groups had reported to the state Ethics Commission spending money on independent expenditures supporting Taylor’s bid for an open seat on the state Supreme Court now held by conservative Rebecca Bradley. Meanwhile, the ACLU of Wisconsin has pledged $450,000 educating voters about the two candidates.

On the conservative side, only a few groups have detailed any significant expenditures on Lazar’s behalf.

The Never Out of the Fight PAC, a group created by former GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Berrien, reported a $100,000 digital buy boosting Lazar. Meanwhile, Restoration of America PAC, a group tied to businessman and GOP megadonor Dick Uihlein, has reported a $40,000 digital buy. The Dane County GOP also told WisPolitics it spent $22,000 on digital and radio supporting Lazar.

Overall spending in the race is down dramatically compared to the past two Supreme Court races.

WisPolitics tracked $56 million in spending in the 2023 campaign, when liberals flipped control of the court for the first time in 15 years. It then tracked $115 million last year as liberals locked in their majority through at least 2028. That total didn’t include the $27 million that billionaire Elon Musk spent on an online petition that many saw as an effort to identify conservative voters to turn out for the race.

The $8.9 million spent with one week to go, though, is in line with other Supreme Court races over the past eight years.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign tallied:

  • $9.8 million spent in 2020 as liberal Jill Karofsky beat then-Justice Daniel Kelly.
  • $8.2 million spent in 2019 as conservative Brian Hagedorn beat Lisa Neubauer for an open seat on the court.
  • $5.1 million in 2018 as liberal Jill Dallet beat Michael Screnock for an open seat.