Dem
47
GOP
53
There is an exciting primary in Illinois next week, but then the primary well runs dry until May 5, when Indiana and Ohio hold primaries. It would be a big help to us if the states spread their primaries out more uniformly, but they don't. Jerks. Nevertheless, there is some election action in April that is important enough to take a peek at now. It is for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
If you are a real politics junkie you are probably thinking: "Again?" Yes, again. You might be thinking of the bitter April 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election in which Janet Protasiewicz was elected, giving liberal members of the "nonpartisan" court a majority. Or you might be thinking of the equally bitter April 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election in which Susan Crawford's win maintained the liberal majority. That election is the one in which Elon Musk spent $25 million helping the conservative Brad Schimel and came up way short, with Crawford winning 55%-45%.
The seven justices are elected to 10-year terms, so there is an election almost every year. Currently, four of the justices are liberals: Jill Karofsky (chief), Crawford, Rebecca Dallet, and Protasiewicz. Three are conservatives: Rebecca Bradley, Brian Hagedorn, and Annette Zieger. Hagedorn is the only man on the Court. In April, Bradley would have been up for reelection but she decided to retire. Here is the current lineup of the Court:
| Name | Born | Start | Term ends | Law school | Leans |
| Jill Karofsky | July 15, 1966 | Aug 1, 2020 | 2030 | Wisconsin | Liberal |
| Annette Ziegler | March 6, 1964 | Aug 1, 2007 | 2027 | Marquette | Conservative |
| Rebecca Bradley | August 2, 1971 | Oct. 12, 2015 | 2026 | Wisconsin | Conservative |
| Rebecca Dallet | July 15, 1969 | Aug. 1, 2018 | 2028 | Case Western Reserve | Liberal |
| Brian Hagedorn | January 21, 1978 | Aug. 1, 2019 | 2029 | Northwestern | Conservative |
| Janet Protasiewicz | December 3, 1962 | Aug. 1, 2023 | 2033 | Marquette | Liberal |
| Susan M. Crawford | March 1, 1965 | Aug. 1, 2025 | 2035 | Iowa | Liberal |
Two judges on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals are running to replace Bradley. They are the liberal Chris Taylor and the conservative Maria Lazar. If Taylor wins, there will be a liberal majority that will hold through the 2028 presidential election (barring an unexpected death or resignation), no matter what happens in the 2027 and 2028 judicial elections. Since Wisconsin is the swingiest of the swing states, there could, and probably will, be lawsuits in Wisconsin in 2028 that make it to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Taylor is a former state representative who promises to protect voting rights. She authored a ruling in 2023 making it easier to vote by mail. She is against aggressive gerrymandering. Lazar has defended Republican gerrymandering and voter ID requirements.
The race is fairly low-profile because control of the Court is not at stake. If Lazar wins, the status quo is maintained. If Taylor wins, the liberals strengthen their existing majority. Polls show that 93% of the voters in Wisconsin haven't even heard of the race. That does not bode will for a big turnout. Or any turnout. If the interfraternity conference at the University of Wisconsin charters a few buses to take the members to the polls, that could swing the election. Or, if Musk drops another $25 million, that would probably drive turnout way up. Though maybe not in the way he wants. (V)