Endorsement season has begun in the race to replace an outgoing University of Wisconsin student and alder on the City Council. 

Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, said he believes candidate Scott Resnick is best suited to be the district’s next alder because of his grasp on how the city government works.

Eagon said Resnick has the right priorities and ideas to represent Madison’s main student district after Eagon leaves the position to join Teach for America in New York City at the end of this term.

“[Resnick] understands the role of local government and is a smart and dedicated person willing to roll up his sleeves on take on the issues that students care about,” Eagon said. “I am confident he will continue some of the work we have been working on to address the issues that are of importance to students.”

Resnick and Eagon joined forces to take up concerns surrounding a development project on Mendota Court earlier last year. They also addressed student safety concerns on State Street together during the summer when a crowd in the area posed a potential threat.

Resnick said he was honored and humbled to receive Eagon’s endorsement, and said he would continue to work on student safety, particularly in the Spring Street area, if elected to the office.

The two other contenders for the District 8 seat said Eagon’s endorsement did not come as a surprise and will have varying minimal effects for the different candidates.

Kyle Szarzynski, a candidate for the seat, said the endorsement does not seem like a “particularly big deal” and said he views it as just another single endorsement.

“I think most students don’t know who the current alder is, and I think those that will be voting are more concerned about the issues,” said Szarzynski, a former Badger Herald columnist.

Though Szarzynski said he respects Resnick and said he finds they share some similar values in a number of ways, he said he does not believe Resnick will have quite as an aggressive of a voice in fighting for the issues that students care about.

Szarzynski said he has received 17 endorsements from current and previous locally elected officials who are leaders in making progressive change in the community. He has received the endorsements of three current alders – Marsha Rummel, District 6, Brian Solomon, District 10, and Satya Rhodes-Conway, District 12.

A number of school board members, Dane County Board of Supervisors and previous alders have also endorsed Szarzynski.

“Those types of endorsements might give people a general idea of what my perspective on politics is – it is generally a progressive one,” Szarzynski said.

Christian von Preysing-Barry, a third competitor for the position, said he expected Resnick to receive the endorsement because he was the most involved in the city establishment but hopes the support will not water down the competitiveness of the race.

Though Preysing-Barry has not received any official endorsements, he said he believes his ideas based off of student feedback have a better chance of making an impact on the election.

“It certainly identifies me as an independent candidate who has come from outside the standard process that students and residents have usually gone through to win nominations and endorsements,” Preysing-Barry said.