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By Kate Plummer and Toby Meyjes
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Democratic-backed candidate Chris Taylor secured more votes in the city that was the birthplace of the Republican Party than her conservative-leaning rival Maria Lazar as she won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday.
According to Fond du Lac County voting data, Taylor secured 975 votes in Ripon compared to Lazar's 711. Ripon is home to the Little White Schoolhouse where the Republican Party was founded in 1854.
Why It Matters
Wisconsin is a key swing state which saw the closest race in the 2024 presidential cycle and results will be closely watched before the midterms later this year. Last night's result comes amid a series of overperformances and gains by Democratic candidates in special elections.
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Prior to last night, the Democrats had flipped 28 state legislative seats since Trump's second term began in January 2025. Although the results have been celebrated by Democrats, Republicans have sought to downplay their importance. RNC National Press Secretary Kiersten Pels told Newsweek in March "these races have never been predictive of general elections."
The party that does not hold the keys to the White House tends to perform better in midterm elections. In 2018, Republicans lost the House and the Democrats gained 41 seats. Losing the House or the Senate would upset the balance of power in Congress and make it more difficult for Trump to carry out his legislative agenda.
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What To Know
Taylor previously worked for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and has been a state Appeals Court judge since 2020. She focused much of her campaign on abortion rights.
The court is officially non-partisan but Taylor is a liberal who was backed by Democrats. Her victory over Republican-backed Lazar was the fourth straight victory for liberal court candidates dating back to 2020 and widens liberal control of the court to a 5-to-2 majority.
President Donald Trump easily won Fond du Lac County in the 2024 presidential election, securing 64 per cent of the vote to Kamala Harris' 35 per cent.
Liberals have held a majority on the Badger State's top court in recent years. They gained a 4-3 majority in 2023, when liberal-leaning Justice Janet Protasiewicz defeated conservative-leaning former Justice Daniel Kelly. Kelly had previously lost in 2020 to Justice Jill Karofsky—another election that shifted the balance of power toward liberals.
What People Are Saying
After her success, Taylor said: "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."
Wisconsin Republican Party Chair Brian Schimming called for Republicans to "stay united and continue fighting for our conservative values."
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