State Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, was elected Dane County executive Tuesday night, winning more than 70 percent of the vote over Dane County Board Supervisor Eileen Bruskewitz, a fiscal conservative.
Around 9 p.m., before the results from any other election were known, it became clear that Parisi had secured enough votes to win the seat. With the win, the mood at Parisi's victory party at Talula on Madison's far east side went from tense to cheery.
""We respect our workers, we respect our community, we solve our problems together,"" Parisi said in his acceptance speech. ""There's so much more that unites us than divides us.""
Parisi, who has served on the state assembly since 2005 and has been a vocal member of the opposition to Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair law, said he plans to work through the state budget process to demonstrate the Walker administration why some of their proposals are not good for Wisconsin citizens.
""Once their budget does pass, we have to show that we can be successful working together instead of his way or the highway,"" he said.
Bruskewitz pinned her loss on the anti-Walker sentiment brought on by the controversy surrounding the budget repair law, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
""This was not about a county executive race. This was a strike back against [Walker],"" Bruskewitz said.
Parisi plans to develop a Department of Economic Development for Dane County that will encourage existing Wisconsin business to stay in the state.
Parisi will replace Kathleen Falk as Dane County executive April 19.
In addition to electing Parisi, Dane County voters passed a referendum condemning the decision of Citizens United.
