After actively seeking competitors to run against six-year incumbent Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, without success, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz is adopting a wait-and-see approach to support a contender.

Cieslewicz and Konkel have a history of opposition, especially when it comes to voting on the city budget. Konkel has voted against the last two budget proposals, which Cieslewicz said he saw as “voting against” public safety and homelessness initiatives.

Konkel accused the mayor of complaining about the 44 new amendments she introduced to the city budget. She added the mayor wanted to complete the budget in two nights, which according to her is not in the best interest of the public.

She also questioned the legitimacy of the mayor’s blog on the city website, as it is against city policy for alders to have a link to their personal blogs on the site. However, this policy does not apply to the mayor.

Konkel has served on the council longer than all but four alders and is in the process of creating a transportation plan for downtown.

“We plan to have a lot of density in neighborhoods so we have to be able to get people to and from the isthmus as effectively as possible,” Konkel said.

While Konkel has run unopposed for the past two elections, she now faces four contenders in the upcoming primary: Dennis DeNure, Sherman Hackbarth, Adam Walsh and Bridget Maniaci. The Feb. 17 primary will whittle the field down to two for the April 7 spring election.

“I was looking for an opponent for her and still may support one of the other candidates, one of those against her,” Cieslewicz said. “But I will make that decision as the campaign goes along.”

Walsh, 26, is a University of Wisconsin alumnus who wants to incorporate a lighting initiative in his district to increase safety for pedestrians and minimize crime. He also wants his constituents to have a more active role in voicing their concerns.

However, Walsh said he would need to think about accepting an endorsement from the mayor.

“If elected, would I automatically back up the mayor? Absolutely not,” Walsh said.

Maniaci, another UW alumna, was a former intern in Cieslewicz’s office. Like Walsh, Maniaci is interested in a downtown lighting initiative for her district, similar to the one initiated by Ald. Eli Judge, District 8.

She also wants to reform the state of businesses on the 800 and 900 block of East Johnson Street and is determined to fix traffic issues in front of local businesses.

Although Maniaci does not expect Cieslewicz to endorse a candidate before the primary, she said would appreciate his endorsement.

“I don’t think any candidate would not like to have his endorsement,” Maniaci said.

DeNure, who was unavailable for comment as of press time, is a lifelong Madisonian who has previously run for mayor, county supervisor and the Wisconsin state Senate.

Hackbarth, also unavailable for comment, is a local attorney who graduated from UW Law School in 2005.

Cieslewicz said he has yet to meet with all of the candidates and added he would like an opportunity to see their positions on key issues and learn as much as he can about them before endorsing a candidate.