U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., on Tuesday endorsed Appeals Court Judge Pedro Colón in the 2027 race for Wisconsin Supreme Court, signaling that national and state Democrats are coalescing behind the Milwaukee liberal as their preferred candidate to replace retiring conservative Justice Annette Ziegler.
Moore’s backing comes just days after Colón, a former Democratic state lawmaker and the first Latino to serve on the Court of Appeals, launched his bid. It follows an earlier endorsement from Justice-elect Chris Taylor and underscores a swift effort to clear the Democratic primary field in favor of Colón over Clark County Circuit Judge Lyndsey Brunette, who announced her candidacy in mid-April.
“Judge Pedro Colón’s unwavering dedication to justice, vast legal experience, and demonstrated commitment to fairness make him the ideal choice,” Moore said in a statement released by the campaign. The congresswoman’s support highlights the race’s importance to the left, which already holds a 5-2 majority on the court and aims to lock in progressive control for the next decade.
Democrats have portrayed the contest as a battle to preserve rulings on abortion, voting rules and other issues. Colón has positioned himself as a champion of a “progressive state,” promising to listen to all sides while advancing priorities aligned with the current liberal majority. Brunette, a former prosecutor from rural Clark County, entered the race earlier but has yet to attract comparable high-profile backing from the party’s Milwaukee-centric power structure.
The winner will serve a 10-year term on the ideologically charged court. Ziegler announced last month that she would not seek re-election. No conservative has yet announced a candidacy.
