Wisconsin Court Debate Hit by Bad Weather and Last-Minute Health Issue

A planned debate for Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race faced two major setbacks in less than a week. First, a candidate had to pull out hours before the event because of a sudden health problem. Then, on the day of the rescheduled debate, severe weather forced organizers to delay the start. A tornado warning in Jefferson County meant the event couldn’t begin as planned at 7 p. m. on TV. The debate was originally delayed when Judge Chris Taylor, the liberal candidate, was rushed to the hospital with kidney stones. That last-minute change forced a postponement just hours before the event was supposed to start. Now, with a new tornado warning in place until 7:45 p. m. , viewers will have to wait even longer to see the two candidates face off. No new start time has been announced yet.The race is tight, with just five days left until the election. Taylor, a state Appeals Court judge, will compete against conservative Judge Maria Lazar. Both candidates bring different perspectives to the court, where the balance of power is closely watched. Currently, liberals hold a 4-3 majority, but the outcome of this race could shift that dynamic. If Taylor wins, liberals would expand their majority to 5-2. A Lazar victory, however, would keep the court split at 4-3. Either way, the court’s ideological balance won’t flip, but the race still matters for long-term decisions. Early voting has been open since March 24, meaning many voters have already cast their ballots.