In a race determined by a margin of little more than 1,000 votes, Dave Cieslewicz (chess-LEV-ich) beat Paul Soglin and won the position Soglin once held: mayor of the city of Madison. Cieslewicz carried 50.76 percent of the vote; Soglin tailed him at 48.73 percent of the vote.

Cieslewicz’s supporters, who needed to shout to hear each other throughout the election-night party at Luther’s Blues, quieted to a whisper when the 10 p.m. television news came on to listen to Soglin concede the race to Cieslewicz. Cieslewicz still had not arrived at his bash when Soglin conceded, but the victor entered moments later with his supporters chanting “Dave” over Queen’s “We are the Champions” and “Another One Bites the Dust” blaring from the speakers.

Cieslewicz’s hands were shaking slightly as he thanked Mayor Sue Bauman for leaving the city “in good shape” and called Soglin “the Madisonian of the century.”

“Today’s opponents are tomorrow’s allies, so let’s work together,” Cieslewicz said.

Cieslewicz’s communications manager Thomas Dewar said the campaign staff had hoped for a Cieslewicz win but did not expect it, because they knew they were up against one of the pivotal figures in Madison’s recent history. He said it would be “presumptuous” to assume victory over Soglin.

Cieslewicz said he knew the race would be very close, but he learned his approval rating trumped Soglin’s by two points 10 days ago.

“I wouldn’t have been surprised by anything,” Cieslewicz said. “I think people were ready for a change, and people were ready to move on.”

Cieslewicz’s supporters appeared more than ready to move on as they danced to the D.J. at Luther’s and watched outtakes of Cieslewicz’s television commercials.

“Just like Coke is the real thing, I am the real thing,” Cieslewicz said in one clip.

Cieslewicz said his first priorities in office will be affordable housing, the city and county health-department merger and the state budget cuts, ensuring the cuts would not become any deeper.

Some of Cieslewicz’s supporters said they were relieved and even surprised.

Lauren Besser, the campaign manger for District 8 City Council winner Austin King, said Cieslewicz’s win left her ecstatic.

“I’m not so much surprised as this solidifies my belief in political grassroots activism,” Besser said.

Former mayoral candidate Jim Schwall attributed Soglin’s loss to his uncompromising style of decision-making, while Cieslewicz emphasized his skills at working toward consensus throughout the campaign.

Cieslewicz has campaigned in the last nine months to pursue commuter rail, reduce urban sprawl and support mandatory inclusionary zoning, which would require developers to include affordable housing in all new developments. He said he would also encourage independent stores on State Street rather than chain stores, uphold tenants’ rights and sit down with UW chancellor John Wiley and bar owners to reach a consensus on how to deal with downtown drinking.

Cieslewicz’s campaign co-director Andrea Dearlove will take on Cieslewicz’s responsibilities at 1,000 Friends of Madison.