Is it too early for serious talk about the 2026 Spring Elections? There may not be a good answer to that question. After all, there are just over 100 days before nominations papers must be completed and turned-in. And then there are another almost hundred days before the April 7, 2026 Spring Election Day. While potential candidates should be plotting campaign strategy, citizens will soon tire of the seemingly endless barrage of campaign communications. So, the question remains: Is it too early for serious talk about the 2026 spring elections?

Supreme Court candidate Chris Taylor doesn’t think it is too early as she already announced her intentions weeks ago. Taylor is currently a Judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District IV (which includes most of the Coulee Region) having first been elected in 2023. Previously she was a Governor Evers June 2020 appointment to the Dane County Circuit Court – giving her only a little more than five years of judicial experience. Before that she represented part of the City of Madison in the State Legislature. She has already been endorsed by the four liberal ladies that are already on the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley doesn’t think it is too early. Her current term expires in 2026 and she recently announced that she would not be a candidate. This was professional and patriotic on her part as it took the incumbency factor out of the election and may encourage more candidates to campaign for the position. Justice Bradley has leveled a “blast” against the liberal candidate Judge Taylor.

Court of Appeals Judge Rachel Graham doesn’t think it is too early. Judge Graham serves in District IV and this is the only Court of Appeals election affecting the Coulee Region in 2026. Judge Graham has recently announced her intention to be a candidate for reelection. She was a Governor Evers July 2019 appointment to the Court of Appeals direct from private practice.
While Judges Taylor and Graham could be complimented for their forward thinking, or prior planning, they should also be cautioned! They should be cautioned about filling our mailboxes – both digital and at the front door or on the front lawn – with incessant campaign junk mail especially if it is full of half-truths and name calling for months before Election Day.

But, given the election activities of these two candidates, some conservative minded candidates are needed to announce their intentions soon. Conservative-minded jurists are critical especially considering Chief Justice Jill Karofsky’s recent remarks. Chief Justice Karofsky was recently selected by her peers to be the new Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and in her initial public statement was openly critical of President Trump and sharing she wanted to lead with fairness, transparency, respect, and empathy. Only as an afterthought did she mention “Rule of Law”!

As I write this there are no known conservative candidates that have announced for Wisconsin Supreme Court or District IV of the Court of Appeals. One name that is favorably mentioned for Supreme Court is Appeals Court (District II) Judge Maria Lazar. After twenty years in private practice (civil), Judge Lazar was Assistant Wisconsin Attorney General, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge, and is currently an Appeals Court Judge in District II. She won her 2022 election to the Court of Appeals by defeating the (appointed) incumbent by a 55.4% - 45.4% margin. She has the judicial experience and election experience to be a great candidate and she is not from Milwaukee or Dane County!

These judicial elections are not the only elections on the ballot in April. There will be numerous elections for local governments to include school boards. Potential candidates for these offices need to be forward thinking, or doing some prior planning. Candidates must complete their nomination requirements by very early in January.

Other elections currently in the news, such as for Governor of Wisconsin, aren’t until next November some fourteen months from now. Nevertheless, the incumbent Governor Tony Evers (D) has announced that he will not be a candidate and two viable Republicans have announced they are candidates for governor.

There will be more. Let us think about April first. Get informed and get involved.