Supreme Court Fundraising Favors Liberal Candidate Chris Taylor

Conservative Candidate Maria Lazar Trails in Fundraising Ahead of Election

Mar. 29, 2026 at 2:30pm

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A fractured, abstract painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and brushstrokes in shades of blue, green, and orange, conveying the high-energy and competitive nature of the Supreme Court election.The heated race for Wisconsin's Supreme Court seat has seen a dramatic fundraising gap, with the liberal candidate vastly outspending her conservative opponent.Marquette Today

Campaign finance reports due on Monday show a stark fundraising gap between liberal Supreme Court candidate Chris Taylor and her conservative opponent Maria Lazar. Taylor and her supporters have outspent Lazar 15-to-1 on ads and turnout efforts, with Taylor raising over $3 million. In contrast, the conservative side has seen little investment, with only small digital buys from groups like the Dane County GOP and Restoration of America PAC.

Why it matters

The fundraising disparity highlights the challenges facing the conservative candidate in this race, as the 'conservative cavalry' has not arrived to bolster Lazar's campaign. This could signal an enthusiasm gap among conservative voters and a lack of investment from the Republican Party in the race. The outcome could have significant implications for the ideological balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

The details

The latest campaign finance reports show a dramatic difference in fundraising between the two Supreme Court candidates. Liberal candidate Chris Taylor and her supporters have outspent conservative candidate Maria Lazar by a 15-to-1 margin on ads and turnout efforts, with Taylor raising over $3 million. In contrast, the conservative side has seen little investment, with only small digital buys from groups like the Dane County GOP and Restoration of America PAC. This lack of conservative spending is concerning, as money is seen as the 'lifeblood of politics' and a key factor in driving voter turnout and engagement.

  • Campaign finance reports are due on Monday, March 30, 2026.
  • The Wisconsin Supreme Court election is scheduled for April 7, 2026.

The players

Chris Taylor

The liberal candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court election.

Maria Lazar

The conservative candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court election.

Better Wisconsin Together

A political fund and advocacy group supporting the liberal candidate Chris Taylor.

Dane County GOP

The Republican Party organization in Dane County, Wisconsin, which has made a small digital ad buy in support of the conservative candidate Maria Lazar.

Restoration of America PAC

A political action committee that has made a $40,000 digital ad buy in support of the conservative candidate Maria Lazar.

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What they’re saying

“The conservative cavalry is not coming to help Lazar so far. Now, they're still a week and change left, but it's getting awfully late to do anything that would be meaningful and change the trajectory, especially when people are already voting this race.”

— JR Ross, WisPolitics Editor

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This fundraising disparity highlights the challenges facing the conservative candidate in this race, as the lack of investment from the Republican Party and conservative groups could signal an enthusiasm gap among conservative voters. The outcome of this Supreme Court election could have significant implications for the ideological balance of the Wisconsin judiciary.