Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate Maria Lazar’s Claims of Political Independence Questioned
Maria Lazar, a current judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and candidate for the state Supreme Court, asserts her political independence despite significant financial ties to Republican consultants. Her campaign expenditures have approached $225,000 on firms with strong Republican affiliations.
Lazar is in the race to succeed retiring Justice Rebecca Bradley in the upcoming April 7 election. Although officially nonpartisan, the race sees Lazar widely recognized as a conservative candidate, with substantial support from the state GOP.
Financial records submitted to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission reveal that Lazar spent $24,500 on Aspect Consulting from 2021 to 2026. The Middleton-based firm specializes in assisting clients with campaign finance law compliance.
Aspect Consulting’s Lane Ruhland is listed as the principal contact for Lazar’s campaign. Rejoining the firm in 2021, Ruhland previously made headlines for her involvement in a 2020 effort to include rapper Kanye West on Wisconsin’s presidential ballot. This initiative, according to reports, was orchestrated by then-President Donald Trump and Republican strategists to pull votes from candidate Joe Biden. Ultimately, Ruhland failed to submit the necessary signatures before the deadline.
Kanye West, known for his alliance with Trump, has since faced significant backlash for his antisemitic comments, including statements in praise of Adolf Hitler, as reported by NPR.
Ruhland’s resume includes positions with former Republican Governor Scott Walker, the Republican Party of Wisconsin, and the GOP-aligned Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce.
In addition to Aspect Consulting, Lazar disbursed $198,500 to Rally Digital, a firm operated by Matt Walker, son of former Governor Scott Walker. Rally Digital provides digital marketing expertise, and Matt Walker once considered a congressional bid to counter New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s influence, as per local reports.
Despite these expenditures, Lazar maintains her stance on political neutrality. At a recent meet-and-greet with voters, she stated, “I’ve never been a member of any political party. I’ve never put up a sign for a political party, person, done anything at all. I don’t think it’s appropriate. Even when I worked at the Department of Justice, I felt everyone needed to think that and know that I was fair and impartial.”
Lazar has openly criticized her opponent, Chris Taylor, for his background as a state legislator, arguing that it could lead to bias in judicial decisions. Her campaign enjoys endorsements from all Wisconsin Republican congressional members, further complicating her claims of nonpartisanship.
