Paul Soglin has been Madison’s mayor off and on for the past 42 years. He was recently elected to an eighth term in Tuesday’s election, beating challenger Scott Resnick in a landslide.
Soglin, 69, was raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. He enrolled at University of Wisconsin in 1962, where he graduated in 1966 with a degree in history.
Soglin wins eighth term as Madison mayor in landslide victory against Resnick
Soglin is well known for his activism during the Vietnam War era. According to the city of Madison’s website, Soglin joined 200 fellow classmates on the steps of Memorial Union in protest against the war.
In 1965, during a trip to Chicago through the North Shore Summer Project, Soglin and other college students joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on a march to Chicago’s City Hall.
Soglin was elected to Madison’s City Council in 1968 and was elected Madison’s youngest mayor at the age of 27 in 1973. He was also the first United States mayor to meet former Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro in 1975.
During his first term as mayor, the city coordinated the renovation of various downtown buildings to build the Madison Civic Center, which would later become the Overture Center.
In 2011, Soglin re-established Neighborhood Resource Teams. These teams focus on helping the communities they serve. The teams have created initiatives from better lighting and youth recreation programs, to dealing with matters of transportation.
The Race to Equity report was released in 2013. It was established with Soglin’s help to combat racial disparities in Madison with a goal to build a fairer community by narrowing opportunity gaps for families of color.
However, racial disparity, homelessness and poverty have all remained large concerns throughout Soglin’s tenure and continue to plague the city.
Days before his most recent election, Soglin released analysis of new census data, showing some improvement for people of color in varying aspects of society. However, this information was received with mixed responses.
The death of 19-year-old Tony Robinson in an officer-involved shooting sparked debates and protests surrounding racial divides that continue in Madison.
Tony Robinson’s death: a portrait of a life ended, a life halted, a community united
In his most recent campaign, Soglin focused on four major issues: housing and homelessness, family supporting jobs, equal and just community and neighborhood and economic development.
During this past campaign Soglin and Resnick butted heads on many issues, most notably on issues of transportation and city policing. Soglin continually advocated for a Bus Rapid Transit System.
He also often brought up issues he had with rideshare companies such as Über and Lyft, which Resnick continually advocated for.
Soglin is hopeful about his next term as mayor and the potential within the City of Madison.
“I really believe in Madison and that we can be the best city in the world, that we can be the place to solve all of these challenges and earn that number one ranking in every single category for every single record,” Soglin said at his election party Tuesday.
