Lena Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lena Taylor
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Taylor in 2013
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| Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 41 | |
| Assumed office January 30, 2024 |
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| Appointed by | Tony Evers |
| Preceded by | Audrey Skwierawski |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 2005 – January 26, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Gwen Moore |
| Succeeded by | Dora Drake |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 18th district |
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| In office April 30, 2003 – January 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Antonio R. Riley |
| Succeeded by | Tamara Grigsby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 25, 1966 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (BA) Southern Illinois University (JD) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Lena C. Taylor (born July 25, 1966) is an American lawyer and judge. Since January 2024, she has served as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County. Before becoming a judge, she was a Democratic politician. She spent 19 years as a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 4th Senate district from 2005 to 2024. She also served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly before that.
Taylor also ran for other important positions in Milwaukee, like Milwaukee County executive in 2008 and mayor of Milwaukee in 2020 and 2022.
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Growing Up and School
Lena Taylor was born and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She finished high school at Rufus King High School in 1984. Then, she went to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. In 1990, she earned her bachelor's degree in English. While in college, she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which is a social club for women. She continued her studies and earned her law degree (called a J.D.) from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 1993.
Starting Her Law Career
After finishing law school, Lena Taylor worked as a public defender for over two years. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford legal help. In 1996, she started her own law firm in Milwaukee called Taylor and Associates Law Office.
Serving in the Wisconsin Legislature
State Assembly: 2003 to 2005
Lena Taylor first ran for public office in 2003. This was a special election for the Wisconsin State Assembly. She won the primary election with 68% of the votes. Since her district was mostly Democratic, she faced no other opponents in the main election. This meant she easily won her first political job.
State Senate: 2005 to 2024
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About a year after joining the Assembly, the state senator for her area, Gwen Moore, decided to run for a different job. This created an open spot in the 4th state Senate district. Taylor decided to run for this Senate seat. She won a tough primary election and then had no opponent in the general election.
When Democrats gained more seats in the Senate in 2006, Taylor became the leader of the Senate committee that deals with laws and prisons. She also joined the important Joint Finance Committee, which handles the state's budget.
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Taylor was re-elected in 2008 without anyone running against her. She kept her leadership roles in the Senate. As the head of the judiciary and corrections committee, she worked to improve the justice system. She started a "State of Justice" tour, holding committee meetings in different parts of Wisconsin.
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After the 2010 election, Republicans gained control of the state government. In 2011, a new bill was proposed that would change rules for public worker unions. This led to many protests at the Wisconsin State Capitol. To try and stop the bill, Taylor and 13 other Democratic state senators left the state. This meant there were not enough lawmakers present to vote on the bill (this is called denying a quorum). This situation got national attention, and Taylor appeared on TV shows to talk about it.
In 2011, some Republican state senators were removed from office in special elections. This briefly gave Democrats the majority again in the state Senate. During this time, Taylor helped lead the Joint Finance Committee.
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Before losing their Senate majority, Republicans changed the voting district maps. In the 2012 election, Taylor's district remained strongly Democratic. She won her third term with 86% of the votes. In 2016, she faced a challenge from Mandela Barnes in the primary election but won with 60% of the votes. Taylor was re-elected for her fifth term in 2020.
Other Political Races
Running for County Executive in 2008
In 2008, Taylor ran for Milwaukee County executive. She ran against the Republican leader, Scott Walker. Walker was expected to run for governor later, so many people watched this election closely. Walker raised a lot more money for his campaign than Taylor did. Walker won the election with 58% of the votes.
Running for Mayor of Milwaukee in 2020
In 2019, Taylor decided to run for mayor of Milwaukee. She challenged the current mayor, Tom Barrett, in the 2020 Milwaukee mayoral election. She made it through the first round of voting but was defeated by Barrett in the final election, getting 36% of the votes.
Running for Lieutenant Governor and Mayor in 2022
In October 2021, Taylor briefly announced she would run for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin. However, she ended her campaign just two months later, in December 2021. She decided to focus on the upcoming Milwaukee mayoral election instead.
The mayor of Milwaukee, Tom Barrett, was appointed to a new job, which meant a special election for mayor was held in 2022. Taylor ran again, but she came in third place in the first round of voting. The top two candidates, Cavalier Johnson and Bob Donovan, moved on to the final election.
Running for Municipal Judge in 2023
In the Spring 2023 election, Taylor ran for a municipal judge position in Milwaukee. She was defeated by Molly Gena, who works for a group that provides free legal help.
Becoming a Judge: 2024 to Today
On January 26, 2024, Governor Tony Evers appointed Lena Taylor to be a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County. This position became open when Judge Audrey Skwierawski resigned. Taylor left her state Senate job that same day. She was officially sworn in as a judge on January 30, 2024.
Images for kids
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Taylor in 2013
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Taylor speaking at the 2007 Wisconsin Democratic Party State Convention
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Taylor chairing a committee meeting in 2009
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Taylor in 2009
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Taylor speaking at the May 12, 2011, protest at the Wisconsin State Capitol
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Taylor in 2013
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Taylor speaking at a September 2015 event for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign
