Dems’ Big Night In Wisconsin Includes Breakthrough Win In Waukesha

WISCONSIN — Democrats saw a strong night in Wisconsin’s spring elections Tuesday, highlighted by a decisive win in the state’s Supreme Court race.

Democratic-backed Chris Taylor defeated Republican-supported Maria S. Lazar by a wide margin, expanding liberals’ majority on the court to 5-2.

Taylor led by nearly 20 points, a margin larger than recent liberal-backed wins in similar races, according to reporting from Politico.

She received 903,411 votes (60.1 percent), compared to 598,266 (39.8 percent) for Lazar.

The results also showed movement in areas that have traditionally supported Republican candidates.

Taylor is on track to win Ozaukee County, part of the historically conservative "WOW" counties, reflecting continued changes in suburban voting patterns, according to analysis shared by journalist David Weigel.

Down the ballot, voters in Waukesha, a longtime Republican stronghold, elected Alicia Halvensleben as mayor, defeating Republican State Rep. Scott Allen.

The result adds to a series of recent Democratic gains in suburban areas.

The Supreme Court race drew less national attention and outside spending than the high-profile contests of 2023 and 2025, when tens of millions of dollars were spent, according to The New York Times.

This year’s race unfolded with a more limited financial footprint, particularly on the Republican side.

But the outcome carries implications for the court, which is expected to weigh in on issues including abortion policy, legislative maps, and election law in the coming years.

The results also fit into a broader pattern of Democratic overperformance in lower-turnout elections since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, as noted by Politico.

Whether those trends carry into higher-turnout elections later this year remains an open question, particularly in a closely divided state like Wisconsin.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.