In a historical election, Paul Soglin beat incumbent Dave Cieslewicz in the Madison mayoral election Tuesday night.
It was a close race, as Soglin finished with 41,382 votes to Cieslewicz's 40,644.
""This election is just the beginning of a very long journey,"" Soglin, who has served two previous terms as mayor in Madison, said. ""Everyone is going to have to participate.""
Cieslewicz staffers remained hopeful until the last rounds of polls indicated Soglin took the victory. The crowd chanted ""Governor!"" as Cieslewicz approached the podium to address his supporters.
""Moments ago I called Paul Soglin congratulating him on his victory,"" Cieslewicz said. ""Things did not work out for me the way I had hoped, but this was a great evening for the progressive movement in Wisconsin.""
Soglin said Cieslewicz was a gracious opponent and both campaigns were wonderful in the way they were run.
""I know how difficult it is to make that phone call and to congratulate your opponent,"" Soglin said.
Soglin's supporters said they are hopeful Soglin will put Madison on a good path for the future.
""Paul always generates a lot of creativity and new ideas,"" said Anne Monks, Soglin's assistant from his last term as mayor in the '90s. ""People will become a lot more involved in city government again.""
Paul Reilly, Soglin's chief financial officer from his last term as mayor, said Soglin's re-election means he can repeat some of the accomplishments he's had in the past.
""His management style is not to make a decision and bring everyone else to it, but to bring everyone together and build a consensus and make it happen, which is what we need right now,"" Reilly said.
Although Cieslewicz supporters said they were disappointed by the outcome, they look forward to see what Soglin brings to Madison.
""I would like to end these eight years with the way I began them, with a phrase that I used in my first campaign: ‘I think the measure of our success is that we have made Madison worth the name home,'"" Cieslewicz said.
