Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, whose second four-year stint as mayor will end in April 2011, says he'll "probably" seek a third term: "I guess I'd surprise myself if I didn't."
Cieslewicz dropped this bombshell during the December edition of The Mayor's Report on City Channel 12. But the disclosure, despite repeated airings, has apparently gone unnoticed.
The mayor, being a politician, was careful not to commit. He said he'd make his decision in concert with his wife, based on the circumstances of the moment: "I can say right now, nine months before I have to decide, 'Gee, yeah, I want to do it again.' But really it depends on how things are looking after Labor Day. I may look around and find there's a 20% approval rating."
If Cieslewicz does win and serve out a third term, he would top James R. Law (1932-44) as the city's longest-serving mayor in consecutive terms. Paul Soglin served 14 years as mayor, but in two stints, 1973-79 and 1989-97.
