Chris Taylor romped to victory in Wisconsin’s Supreme court race over underfunded conservative rival Maria Lazar, declaring in her victory speech that voters she met were “hungry for a government that works for them, for a judiciary that prioritizes them.”

The win by Taylor, a former Dem lawmaker and policy adviser for Planned Parenthood, will expand liberals’ majority to 5-2 once she’s sworn in Aug. 1. Liberals had just two members on the court ahead of the 2020 election but have now won four state races by double digits. That includes defending an open liberal seat a year ago.

“Once again, Wisconsin showed the entire nation that we believe that the people should be at the center of government and the priority of our judiciary, not the billionaires, not the most powerful and privileged, but the people,” Taylor told supporters in a Madison hotel ballroom after winning a 10-year term on the high court over her fellow appeals court judge.

With more than 85% of the vote in, Taylor was at 59.8% to 40.1% for Lazar, according to unofficial returns. The final results will determine whether Taylor tops the 59.7% of the vote that then-Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson won in her last reelection bid in 2009. Prior to that, the largest margin of victory in the past 26 years was in 2000, when then-Justice Diane Sykes, a conservative, won with 65.5%.

Taylor was overperforming in key counties even compared to fellow liberal Susan Crawford, who romped to a 10-point victory last year in a race that saw $115 million in spending.

For example, with all precincts reporting in Waukesha County — where Lazar once served as a circuit court judge — Taylor had 46% of the vote.

Last year, Crawford took more than 42% there in her double-digit statewide win.

Lazar, addressing a sparse and subdued crowd at a Pewaukee hotel, said the race was the “absolute 100% honor of my lifetime.”

Lazar insisted throughout the campaign that she wasn’t a conservative, but an independent, and declined to discuss her personal views. She again said during her concession speech that the campaign was run so that people will know going forward that “judicial races are not political races.”

“Your votes were not cast in vain and you did set a mark and draw a line and say, ‘Wisconsin deserves better,’ and I’m hopeful in future years that will happen,” Lazar said.

The fundraising and spending were tilted heavily in Taylor’s favor.

The liberal appeals court judge and her allies had reported spending $7.9 million heading into the election, giving her a nearly 8-to-1 advantage, according to a WisPolitics tally. 

What’s more, a single group reported a $20,000 expenditure for texting to support Lazar, according to a check of independent expenditure reports. 

In contrast, 13 of the 20 groups that reported independent expenditures backing Taylor noted GOTV expenses.

In all, Taylor reported $5.9 million raised for the race, including donations that were received after the end of the pre-election reporting period. Lazar reported $946,078.

Liberals have already locked up the majority through at least 2028. Taylor’s victory means they will have the opportunity next spring to expand their majority to 6-1 with conservative Justice Annette Ziegler retiring. A win next year would guarantee liberals the majority through at least 2033, covering a period that includes the 2028 and 2032 presidential races as well as the process in 2031 to draw new legislative and congressional district boundaries.

With reporting from Clara Strecker and Colby Lamb.