Dave Cieslewicz
American mayor
David J. Cieslewicz (;
Polish pronunciation: [t͡ɕɛɕˈlevit͡ʂ]; born February 17, 1959), commonly referred to as Mayor Dave during his term, is an American politician who was the mayor of Madison, Wisconsin from 2003 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Personal life and early career
Cieslewicz was born and grew up in the Milwaukee suburb of West Allis, and came to Madison as a student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is of Polish descent and was raised in what he identified as a Polish neighborhood. His wife is Dianne Cieslewicz, who worked as chief of staff to state Senator Fred Risser, and they reside in the Regent Street neighborhood on Madison's near-west side.
Prior to seeking the mayor's office, Cieslewicz was executive director of "1000 Friends of Wisconsin", a land use advocacy organization that lobbied for Wisconsin's Smart Growth planning law. He was also a staffer in the Wisconsin State Legislature, a lobbyist for the Nature Conservancy, and an elected member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors. He lost a state Assembly race in 1992 to Tammy Baldwin, she later became a U.S. Senator.
Election
Cieslewicz replaced Susan J. M. Bauman as mayor of Madison in 2003, after defeating activist and former mayor Paul Soglin in a close contest. He was re-elected to a second four-year term in 2007, defeating Republican Ray Allen, a businessman.
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