By Rich Kremer– Wisconsin Public Radiio

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley announced Thursday she won’t run for reelection in 2025, a decision that could make it harder for liberals to defend the 4-3 majority they won just a year ago.

Bradley, 73, has served on the state’s highest court since 1995 and has been reelected twice during that time. In a statement, Bradley said while her time as justice will end in July 2025, “my dedication to public service remains unwavering.” 

“I know I can win re-election, should I run,” Bradley said. “But, it’s just time to pass the torch, bringing fresh perspectives to the court. Upon completion of my third term, I look forward to embarking upon a new chapter in my life, which will include public service that is guided by the same principles of justice, fairness and dedication that have defined my tenure on the court.”

Bradley’s announcement comes as a surprise. A year ago, she had indicated that she would run again after Justice Janet Protaziewicz, a fellow liberal, won an open seat on the court. That election gave liberals a majority on the court for the first time in 15 years.

In a statement, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lauded Bradley as a “trailblazer who has always been dedicated to supporting women in the law and on the bench across Wisconsin.”

“Justice Bradley’s decades of law experience and institutional knowledge as the most tenured justice currently serving on the Court have been critical in steadily guiding the Court through significant changes and challenging times, most especially over the last decade,” Evers said. ” She will leave an important role to fill to ensure our Court maintains the integrity and honor Justice Bradley has spent much of her career working to protect and preserve.”

Chris Taylor considering race, Brad Schimel already in

While the next Supreme Court election won’t be for another year, former Republican Attorney General and Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel has been campaigning since November. At his campaign launch in Waukesha, he told supporters his goal is to restore integrity and accountability on the court and urged conservatives to unify behind him. 

Schimel wished Bradley well in retirement in a statement, but noted he isn’t running against “one person.”

“I’m running against this Court’s leftist majority,” Schimel said.

Shortly after Bradley’s announcement, Wisconsin Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor told reporters she’s considering running for the seat. Last year, she was elected to an open seat on the District IV Court of Appeals.

In 2020, Taylor was appointed by Evers to the Dane County Circuit Court after serving four terms as a Democratic state representative. She previously served as a policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

The stakes are high in the 2025 Supreme Court race. After liberals regained control in August, they struck down Republican-drawn voting maps that have helped the GOP grow outsized majorities in the state Assembly and Senate since 2011.

The liberal majority has also taken up a lawsuit filed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers arguing Republicans have assumed too much power in the Legislature by blocking funding for things like state colleges and conservation projects.

And the court is being asked to weigh in on a case that could determine once and for all whether a pre-Civil War Wisconsin law bans abortions in the state.

Editor’s note: This story will be updated.

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