Wisconsin Republicans, still reeling from a series of statewide judicial defeats, are sharply split over how to approach the state's next high-stakes Supreme Court race, Politico reported.
Conservatives have lost three straight contests since 2020, ceding control of a court that until recently held a right-leaning majority.
Now, as voters prepare for yet another April election, the GOP is debating whether to fully embrace the party's brand — President Donald Trump included — or attempt a return to less partisan, traditional judicial messaging, according to Friday's report.
Some longtime Republican strategists argue the party cannot win unless it energizes its base.
Brandon Scholz, former executive director of the state GOP, said silence on politics is a losing strategy.
"If you don't tell your voter where you are, you're likely going to lessen their incentive," he said, noting that Democrats are all but guaranteed to mobilize every anti-Trump voter they can.
The race will determine the successor to conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley, who announced in August she would not seek another term when hers expires in 2026.
Bradley is 1 of just 3 conservatives on Wisconsin's seven-member Supreme Court. A liberal win would expand the court's majority to 5-2.
Although the race is officially nonpartisan, both parties have poured millions into recent contests. The court's liberal majority has already overturned Wisconsin's pre-Civil War abortion ban and backed Democrat Gov. Tony Evers' controversial school-funding veto.
Democrats hope the court will also hear a redistricting challenge before 2026, raising the stakes even further.
Conservative candidate Maria Lazar insisted that the way forward is to emphasize judicial temperament, not party warfare.
"This is not a Republican versus a Democrat," said Lazar, an appellate judge from Waukesha. "I am, through and through, a judge — not a politician."
She argued that last year's blowout defeat of conservative Brad Schimel — a $90 million race boosted by Elon Musk and national MAGA figures — showed voters are tired of political theatrics.
But many Republican operatives warn that distancing from the party brand won't bring new voters and may depress turnout among Trump-aligned conservatives who have historically skipped spring elections.
They note that Democrats have built a formidable grassroots machine that consistently drives liberals to the polls during low-turnout cycles.
"There's not some large group in the middle," said Alec Zimmerman, a former aide to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson. "This is a low-turnout election.
"Whoever gets their team to the polls better is going to win."
So far, only two candidates have filed: Lazar for conservatives and Chris Taylor, a former Democrat lawmaker appointed to a lower court by Evers.
The state GOP has not formally endorsed Lazar, though party officials have signaled support for her approach.
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