The guy almost everyone calls "Mayor Dave" has always been well-liked, even by many of those who this week voted against giving him a third four-year term.
A native of West Allis, Cieslewicz served on the Dane County Board and as executive director of the enviro group 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin.
He was elected to the mayor's office in 2003, after he and Paul Soglin (and a third candidate) both outpolled incumbent Sue Bauman in the primary, knocking her out of contention.
But while Cieslewicz may have swept into office on a wave of dissatisfaction, he quickly established himself as thoughtful, competent, hard working and refreshingly self-deprecating - all qualities that should serve him well in the Soglin-Cieslewicz grudge match of 2015.
