One of Madison’s most familiar faces may be sticking around City Hall for a little longer. Mayor Paul Soglin, 68, confirmed Friday he will run for re-election in November 2015.
The 1966 University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate was first elected as mayor in 1973 and has since served seven terms, including the current session, three different times over the past five decades.
During the interim periods, Soglin practiced law in Madison and unsuccessfully campaigned for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
Soglin said he’s running for re-election because the city and his administration have “made a lot of progress” since 2011, and he wants to see his efforts completed.
“We’ve done a good job in regards to expanding the city’s economy, but there’s a lot that needs to be done in terms of poverty and disparity,” Soglin said.
After gaining a reputation for activism at the first Mifflin Street Block Party in 1969, which he is known for attending and was arrested at, Soglin experienced blowback from the campus community in the spring of 2013 when he “canceled” the iconic event.
Soglin said what began as a Vietnam War protest has evolved into a dangerous display of binge drinking, sexual assaults and violence.
No other individuals have announced their candidacy in opposition to Soglin, including former Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, the incumbent Soglin narrowly beat out in 2011.
However, Cieslewicz, who taught as an associate professor at UW-Madison this past semester, told The Daily Cardinal in April, “for now I’m happy to do the teaching and some consulting and writing.” He added, “and at least for the moment, I don’t have any plans to re-enter politics.”
