Madison mayors of the past and present extended their support last week to Bridget Maniaci, candidate for District 2 alder.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and former Mayors Paul Soglin and Joe Sensenbrenner endorsed Maniaci about three weeks before the April 7 election. Maniaci is challenging incumbent Brenda Konkel for her seat on the City Council.

All three endorsers said they support Maniaci for her efficient work ethic and her ability to communicate with her constituents.

“Bridget is very bright and progressive and hardworking and I think she’ll be effective on behalf of her constituents. I think it’s primarily (her) ability to be more effective. She’s better [than Konkel] at working with people,” Cieslewicz said.

However, Konkel said she wished the three endorsers spoke to her before declaring their support for Maniaci.

Konkel added she is not surprised by the endorsements because she did not endorse Soglin when he ran for mayor and she and Sensenbrenner disagreed in the past about ways to renovate James Madison Park.

Sensenbrenner said he feels qualified to evaluate Konkel’s work and working relationships.

“I’ve worked with Konkel before,” he said. “It was not a hostile situation, but I find her approach in working relationships often to be unnecessarily complex or strained.”

Cieslewicz added he has observed Konkel’s work ethic for the past six years and said Konkel is not able to disagree with members of the City Council without being outwardly disagreeable.

“[Konkel] makes it very difficult to get along with her and that’s what makes her so ineffective on the council,” Cieslewicz said. “She has a difficult time with people who disagree with her.”

According to Soglin, both District 2 candidates do not have many political differences, but Maniaci addresses “incredibly important” city issues in a more effective manner than her opponent.

Regarding plans to reform District 2, Maniaci said she wants improve traffic flow on Gorham and Johnson Streets by installing traffic lights. Additionally, she wants to better the safety of District 2 constituents by expanding the lighting initiative created by outgoing Ald. Eli Judge, District 8.

In collaboration with members of the City Council, Konkel said she is working on a transportation plan for downtown and forming a traffic plan for the isthmus.

The city staff will compare their transportation plans and once they are perfected, they will move forward with a resolution, she added.

According to Maniaci, the endorsements speak volumes to her campaign and the initiatives she supports.

Though Maniaci said it is incredible to have the support of three mayors with different political interests, Konkel is a strong competitor.

“[Konkel’s] gotten endorsements, I’ve gotten endorsements, so (on Election Day) we’ll see who fought the hardest and who worked the hardest for this position,” Maniaci said.