Madison's mayoral race gained a new candidate Monday when current Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, officially announced his bid for the city's top office in a press conference, confirming long-standing rumors that he would run.
Resnick, who has served as Madison’s District 8 Alder since 2011, joins current Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and former District 2 Alder Bridget Maniaci in the spring mayoral election.
A University of Wisconsin-Madison alum, Resnick currently serves as Vice-President of Hardin Design and Development, a software development company located downtown, in addition to serving as Common Council President Pro Tempore.
Speaking to a crowd of media and supporters, Resnick said he began exploring the idea of running for mayor several months ago after numerous co-workers and community members suggested he would “be perfect for the job.”
He added his first priority if elected would be to sit down with a roundtable of community leaders who feel they do not currently have a voice in city government and listen to their ideas for improving life in Madison, including homelessness, the achievement gap and racial inequalities.
“City hall can have a role in solving these problems, but we need to listen before we propose solutions,” Resnick said.
The UW-Madison alum also emphasized a need for not only an open and transparent campaign, one in which he promises “no secrets,” but a completely open and transparent city government.
“I want to be able to engage with our residents at a level we haven’t seen before,” Resnick added. “I’m here to make the city of Madison the most transparent and open government in the United States.”
Resnick avoided offering criticism of his frequent ally and predecessor current Mayor Paul Soglin, saying “There will be a lot of time to talk about how Paul and I differ on issues, [but] right now I’m just excited to kick off the campaign.”
Fellow candidate Bridget Maniaci said she looks forward to discussing city issues with Resnick during the election and stressed the need to move the city forward in both technology and social issue sector.
“I appreciate his participation in the conversation about Madison’s structure and I look forward to discussing greater Madison issues beyond downtown,” Maniaci said.
Mayor Paul Soglin could not be reached for comment.
Madison residents will be able to vote for the city’s new mayor in the spring elections set for April 7.
