MADISON, Wis. — Today, Judge Chris Taylor’s campaign announced an impressive fundraising haul for her state Supreme Court bid, raising over $2.6 million in 2025. Her right-wing opponent, Judge Maria Lazar, has yet to release any fundraising numbers, but has deep ties to the same right-wing billionaires and special interests who tried to buy Dan Kelly and Brad Schimel a seat on the Court. Judge Taylor is running to protect a majority on the state’s highest court that will ensure the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Wisconsinites are protected.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Supreme Court candidate Taylor reports $2.6 million fundraising haul
By: Mary Spicuzza | 1/14/26
Liberal state Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor has already raised a hefty $2.6 million in her bid for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
That total includes about $2 million in campaign contributions from some 13,000 people during the most recent reporting period, which covers the last half of 2025, her campaign announced on Jan. 14.
“Wisconsinites understand the importance of electing a justice who has a proven record of protecting their fundamental rights and freedoms,” Ashley Franz, Taylor’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “That’s exactly what Judge Chris Taylor has done her entire career.”
Conservative state Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar, Taylor’s opponent in the race, has not yet released her fundraising totals. Campaign finance reports are not yet available for either candidate.
Taylor’s fundraising haul echoes that of Justice Susan Crawford, who reported having raised $2.9 million at this time last year. Crawford’s total included $1 million transferred from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
Crawford went on to win the April 2025 election after a race that shattered nationwide campaign spending records for a judicial election. It included heavy spending by the super PAC run by billionaire Elon Musk, which spent $47.4 million in the first half of 2025 as the group was trying to help elect Brad Schimel, the conservative candidate in the race.
Taylor’s campaign noted that she hadn’t received any transfers from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
“The record-breaking support shows we aren’t taking anything for granted,” Franz said.
For comparison, Crawford’s campaign reported raising $2.42 million during the last half of 2024, including the $1 million from the party, while Justice Janet Protasiewicz reported $756,000
Wisconsin’s Democratic Party chairman, Devin Remiker, in a statement said the party would “ensure (Taylor’s) campaign has everything it needs to reinforce a majority that believes in our fundamental rights in freedoms, which have never been more at stake than they are now.”
Taylor and Lazar will face off in the April 7 election for a seat on the Supreme Court, which has a 4-3 liberal majority. They are competing for the seat being vacated by conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley, who is not seeking re-election to a 10-year term.
A Taylor victory would expand the liberal majority, while a Lazar win would maintain the current split.
Taylor, who was appointed by Evers to the Dane County Circuit Court bench in 2020, had previously served for about 10 years in the state Legislature and was known as one of the most liberal members. Before joining the state Assembly in 2011, Taylor served as public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
Lazar has been on the Waukesha-based District 2 Court of Appeals since 2022. She previously served as a Waukesha County judge, an assistant attorney general under Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, and as an attorney in private practice.
