Paul Soglin

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Paul Soglin

Democratic Party

Prior offices

Madison Common Council District 8

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Mayor of Madison

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

April 2, 2019

Education

High school

Hyde Park High School

Bachelor's

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Law

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Contact

Personal Twitter

Paul Soglin was the Mayor of Madison in Wisconsin. He assumed office in 2011. He left office in 2019.

Soglin ran for re-election for Mayor of Madison in Wisconsin. He lost in the general election on April 2, 2019.

Soglin previously held the office of mayor in Madison from 1973 to 1979 and 1989 to 1997. He also ran for Mayor in 2003, but lost to Dave Cieslewicz. After stating in July 2017 that he would not seek re-election, Soglin announced a re-election bid on October 19, 2018.

Soglin was a Democratic candidate for governor of Wisconsin. He lost in the primary on August 14, 2018.

Soglin made an unsuccessful bid in 1997 to represent Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.

Soglin served on the Madison Common Council from 1968 to 1972.

Biography

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Soglin graduated from Hyde Park High School in Chicago, Illinois. He obtained a B.A. in history and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Career

• 2011-2019: Mayor of Madison
• 2003: Candidate for Mayor of Madison
• 1997: Candidate for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives
• 1989-1997: Mayor of Madison
• 1973-1979: Mayor of Madison
• 1968-1972: Madison City Council

Presidential preference

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ Soglin endorsed Bernie Sanders for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

See also: Endorsements for Bernie Sanders

Elections

2019

See also: Mayoral election in Madison, Wisconsin (2019)

General election

General election for Mayor of Madison

Satya Rhodes-Conway defeated incumbent Paul Soglin in the general election for Mayor of Madison on April 2, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Satya Rhodes-Conway (Nonpartisan)	61.9	47,915
		Paul Soglin (Nonpartisan)	37.7	29,150
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	311

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 77,376
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Madison

Incumbent Paul Soglin and Satya Rhodes-Conway defeated Mo Cheeks, Raj Shukla, and Nick Hart in the primary for Mayor of Madison on February 19, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Paul Soglin (Nonpartisan)	28.6	10,771
✔		Satya Rhodes-Conway (Nonpartisan)	27.7	10,448
		Mo Cheeks (Nonpartisan)	23.3	8,801
		Raj Shukla (Nonpartisan)	18.4	6,954
		Nick Hart (Nonpartisan)	1.0	386
		Other/Write-in votes	0.9	346

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,706
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Toriana Pettaway (Nonpartisan)

2018

See also: Wisconsin gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of Wisconsin

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Wisconsin on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tony Evers (D)	49.5	1,324,307
		Scott Walker (R)	48.4	1,295,080
		Phillip Anderson (L)	0.8	20,225
		Maggie Turnbull (Independent)	0.7	18,884
		Michael White (G)	0.4	11,087
		Arnie Enz (The Wisconsin Party)	0.1	2,745
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0	980

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,673,308
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Wisconsin

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tony Evers	41.8	225,082
		Mahlon Mitchell	16.3	87,926
		Kelda Roys	12.8	69,086
		Kathleen Vinehout	8.2	44,168
		Michael McCabe	7.4	39,885
		Matthew Flynn	5.9	31,580
		Paul Soglin	5.2	28,158
		Andy Gronik	1.2	6,627
		Dana Wachs	0.8	4,216
		Josh Pade	0.4	1,908

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 538,636
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Bob Harlow (D)
• Michele Doolan (D)
• Andrew Lust (D)
• Jeff Rumbaugh (D)
• Ramona Whiteaker (D)
• Mike Crute (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Wisconsin

Incumbent Scott Walker defeated Robert Meyer in the Republican primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Walker	91.6	417,276
		Robert Meyer	8.4	38,269

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 455,545
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Ryan Cason (R)

Green primary election

Green primary for Governor of Wisconsin

Michael White advanced from the Green primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael White	100.0	817

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 817
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Governor of Wisconsin

Phillip Anderson advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Phillip Anderson	100.0	1,673

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,673
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2015

See also: Madison, Wisconsin municipal elections, 2015

The city of Madison, Wisconsin, held elections for mayor and city council on April 7, 2015. A primary took place on February 17, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was January 6, 2015.

In the primary election for Mayor of Madison, incumbent Paul Soglin and Scott J. Resnick advanced past Richard V. Brown Sr., Christopher Daly and Bridget Maniaci. Soglin defeated Resnick in the general election.

Madison Mayoral General Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Paul Soglin Incumbent	72%	37,734
Scott J. Resnick	27.1%	14,195
Write-in	1%	506
Total Votes		52,435
Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official general election results," accessed July 30, 2015

Madison Mayoral Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Paul Soglin Incumbent	52.8%	11,856
Scott J. Resnick	23.3%	5,223
Bridget Maniaci	14.7%	3,311
Christopher Daly	4.3%	973
Richard V. Brown Sr.	4.6%	1,034
Write-in	0.3%	63
Total Votes		22,397
Source: Dane County Clerk's Office, "Official primary election results," accessed July 30, 2015

2011

Mayor of Madison, General Election, 2011
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Paul Soglin	49.8%	44,542
Dave Cieslewicz Incumbent	49%	43,829
Write-in	1.3%	1,133
Total Votes		89,504
Source: Dane County Board of Elections - 2011 Election Results

Mayor of Madison, Primary Election, 2011
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Paul Soglin	49.5%	18,693
Dave Cieslewicz Incumbent	46.3%	17,500
John Blotz	1.5%	569
Dennis Amadeus de Nure	0.7%	274
Nick Hart	1.6%	598
Write-in	0.4%	137
Total Votes		37,634
Source: Dane County Board of Elections - 2011 Election Results

Campaign themes

2018

Campaign website

The following themes were found on Soglin's offiicial campaign website:

“	Economy We normally discuss Wisconsin’s economy in terms of economic development programs administered by the state. An inclusive economy designed to improve the standard of living for the people of the state starts with the household, not attracting outside investors. Five critical areas need our attention if we are to support and sustain families. Housing. And housing is first. Without affordable and safe homes, children struggle to learn, health care is compromised, and employment opportunities are compromised. Wisconsin does not have a housing program – the last-minute Walker initiative to provide tax credits in a limited number of communities is too little too late. Utah, Arizona, and Minnesota have housing programs and so can we. There should be a state-wide initiative to eliminate homelessness in every county in the state. That should be augmented by a commitment to build affordable workforce and starter homes. The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) does an excellent job with the federal low-income housing tax credit program but it is a federal program in short supply. We can use tax credits, expansion of TIF revenues, housing bonds to support affordable housing construction and renovation in every county. Transportation. Both urban and rural areas of the state lack adequate transportation resources. New jobs must be accessible. State transportation needs vary from road construction, and public transit, to sidewalks and bicycles lanes. We need to raise the gasoline tax, create Regional Transportation Authorities with taxing power, and establish a state inter-county ride system with proper safety standards. Quality Child Care. Wisconsin children in rural and urban areas are falling behind the nation. Quality child care is essential and it requires good wages for trained and skilled staff. Health Care. The Walker years must be reversed, and Wisconsin must embrace the Affordable Health Care Act, accept Medicaid funding and expansion, join the marketplace and make sure there is access to health care statewide. Our objective is single payer. Often overlooked aspects of health care are behavioral health and nutrition. Our neglect of our mental health system means too many communities rely on local police departments. Expansion of school food programs, especially during the summer is critical. Hungry children suffer -- they do not thrive and do not learn. Education and Job Training. We must renew our commitment to our public schools. Two of the essential elements for quality education already exist in Wisconsin: concerned parents and a quality teaching staff. Now we must invest in our outdated public schools and restore a liberal arts education to every district in the state. Our kids must learn how to think. That means offering quality recreational, athletic and cultural programming as well as academics. Higher education is critical to job development. Greater funding is needed for job, trade, and apprentice programs, and our universities and colleges. Minimum Wage Unemployment is low nationwide, but Wisconsin is 34th out of 50 in job creation, and has one of the worst records when it comes to the shrinking middle class. In Madison we will successfully finish our three-year program in 2019 to establish a minimum wage for city employees of $15 per hour. Here is what I will do as Governor to improve wages statewide: Put the state on a three year plan to raise the minimum wage for state government employees $15 per hour. Raise the minimum wage for all workers in Wisconsin to $12 an hour. I would want to talk with economists as to what is a reasonable phase-in period that leads to $15 an hour by 2022. Adopt a state policy to ensure that no company gets state financial incentives unless they agree that for all jobs created, there is a minimum wage of $15 an hour, full health insurance benefits, and an acceptable pension plan. The incentives would be a fraction of what was provided to Foxconn. State Development Programs In partnership with the private sector, through a competitive bid process I will ensure we bring broadband – high speed internet – to every part of the state. The public sector portion would probably cost $500 million, a fraction of what's being doled out to Foxconn. We wired the state for landline telephones and electricity 100 years ago: high speed broadband is just as critical today. Develop a sense of place in every community. Let's focus on what entrepreneurs want for their own families when they make location decisions: great public schools, transportation systems, safe and healthy communities with an emphasis on recreational and cultural opportunities, and a clean and sustainable environment. Notice in that list I did not include starting "a race to the bottom" by lowering taxes. End the race-to-the-bottom. We must stop handing out bankrupting tax packages to foreign companies. Jobs are created by locally owned small businesses, not large corporations that require $250,000 subsidies per job. Wisconsin should recognize what experts say. First if you want to create jobs, support small locally owned businesses. They create jobs at the fraction of the price of a Foxconn. Second, the investment should not be in the big corporation but in the needs of the community: roads, schools, clean water. Cooperatives Wisconsin has a rich history of investing in cooperatives. We have them in financial services – our credit unions and mutual insurance companies -- and in agriculture, energy, and worker-owned businesses like engineering firms and taxi cab companies. We could take $250 million, a fraction of the cost of Foxconn, and invest in cooperative businesses. Then we would not have to worry about the jobs moving out of state, conglomerates buying them out, and the wealth created belongs to our people. They in turn, will make local purchases, pay taxes, and make contributions to their favorite Wisconsin charities. Public Markets, Family Farms, and Food Aggregation Wisconsin family farms are a source of healthy food, a vibrant economy, and the high community standards. Special treatment for corporate farms is destroying our family farms, the environment and our state’s best source of fresh healthy food. Wisconsin needs an agriculture policy that encourages the profitability and economic security of the family farm. That means protecting diary prices, insurance against natural disasters, and making sure that markets are accessible. Wisconsin needs a food policy, one that will lead to regional year-round public markets in every area of the state and accompanied by improved aggregation and transportation centers for locally grown crops. A successful program can be implemented for $200 million, a fraction of the $4 billion for Foxconn, with profits for Wisconsinites. Respecting Labor Wisconsin is the home of the hardest working people in the United States. They deserve the fair share of their labor. They deserve safe working conditions and the knowledge that their job is secure. To ensure that they are fairly compensated, we will not only raise the minimum wage but also will restore collective bargaining rights to Wisconsin workers, and that will include honoring prevailing wage and labor peace agreements. Education From the beginning of my public life I recognized that the future of a community is driven by its public schools. Our schools are good, but we can do much better. The success of a school system depends upon the quality of the teaching staff, parents’ involvement in their children’s education, and funding of the system. Within our communities we can control the first two. Our local board of education hires the superintendent who in turn hires the teachers. We need to continue to encourage and empower parents to be engaged. Funding is another matter. The state has not kept up with shared revenues for our schools and our local property tax base can take only so much. We need to spread the cost of public education over a greater tax base – one that can afford to pay. I will support an increase in the income tax at the highest brackets – that is what a progressive tax is about – or if necessary, an increase in the sales tax which will generate part of the revenues from all the visitors to our state. These revenues should be distributed to our school districts based on enrollment and need – the poorest communities will get more than the wealthiest communities. There will be no strings attached. Local school districts will decide whether to spend the money on school safety, lower class sizes, athletics or cultural programs. Grandparents hope their children will remain in the community and raise their family there. When schools are underfunded that will not happen. Better schools make children better prepared for whatever path they choose, for and that makes the community more attractive for families and the businesses that employ them. Broadband In the twenty-first century access to broadband, a system based on net neutrality is as critical as electricity and landline telephone service was one hundred years ago. A student’s education and the state’s economy are dependent upon high speed access. Many rural Wisconsinites still lack adequate access to the internet, and many suburban and urban consumers and businesses are also faced with limited broadband options and speeds. A primary reason is that much of Wisconsin are captive customers of a few big corporate broadband providers, who offer limited capacity at unreasonably high prices. While state government has begun to fund buildout of broadband networks, the bulk of the funds has gone to the same few big corporate broadband providers. The solution lies in two commitments from state government. First, a public private build out which will require an estimated $500 million from the state which is to be matched by a $1 billion commitment from competitive private sector providers. Secondly, a state net neutrality provision similar to Washington state making it illegal for internet service providers to manipulate their networks to slow down or speed up service for specific customers. Wisconsin can and should do more. Wisconsin needs a statewide broadband development program for the 21st Century akin to the rural electrification program of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Just like the rural electrification program, a statewide broadband program requires increasing government spending and empowering communities–not just companies–to invest in future buildouts. Helping students and families, especially the economically disadvantaged and those living in rural communities, is crucial to building a workforce for the 21st century. That’s why we should encourage co-ops, the UW, municipal utilities, and rural nonprofits to become broadband providers where private-sector service is inadequate. Repealing 2003 Wisconsin Act 278, which discourages municipal broadband, would be a good start. Repealing Wisconsin Statutes Section 36.585, which prohibited the University of Wisconsin System and its campuses from providing broadband service to nearby libraries, schools, technical colleges, and other public entities, would be another important beginning. Both laws protect existing corporate broadband providers by eliminating likely public competitors. Beyond these first steps, a robust program of government funding for broadband expansion such as the State of New York’s “Broadband For All” project is needed to be sure that in Wisconsin, internet connectivity is no longer a luxury. Broadband is as vital a resource as water and electricity to Wisconsin’s communities and is absolutely critical to the future of our economy and our education. The $500 million public commitment, which is one seventh of the ultimate public cost of the Foxconn travesty, will ultimately provide far more jobs, economic growth, and educational attainment – a benefit to the entire state. Wisconsin also requires a regulatory program that treats broadband as the important public utility it has become. Wisconsin needs a watchdog over corporate providers, rather than the cheerleader the Public Service Commission has become under the Walker administration and the provider-friendly statutes his cronies in the Legislature have passed. Specifically, much of 2011 Wisconsin Act 22 should be repealed. Passed in a particularly destructive Special Session that Walker called in early 2011, Act 22 decimated much of the statutory authority of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) to investigate consumer complaints about the adequacy of telecommunications service or fairness of rates, eliminated PSC oversight of traditional landline telephone service (critical lifelines for seniors), eliminated price regulation for AT&T Wisconsin and Frontier North (formerly Verizon), and largely freed telecommunications companies from any significant state regulation. One further step a new Governor can take immediately: protect Net Neutrality in Wisconsin. Recently dumped overboard by the Trump FCC, Net Neutrality is the legal concept that the internet should not be a toll road: all content should be treated equally and not be slowed down if a premium “toll” isn’t paid to the broadband provider. For some reason, perhaps greed, providers like AT&T and Charter, believe that they should have the right to charge extra to not delay or impede content such as video. Already, the Governors of Montana, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii have issued executive orders barring state agencies from doing business with internet service providers that violate Net Neutrality, effectively assuring that the major broadband providers in those states will not do so. The Department of Administration in the Soglin. Administration will issue similar orders and enact appropriate legislation. Universities and Colleges For most of the past 100 years Wisconsin spent more money on its universities than on prisons. Now, under Scott Walker, the Department of Corrections has the biggest budget of any agency. There are two reasons for this. First, we are not spending enough on education. As a result, students are saddled with too much debt, schools cannot offer enough courses to meet the demand during the freshman year, and quality faculty leave the state. Second, at an enormous cost, we are imprisoning individuals who could have been safely released long ago, and we are incarcerating nonviolent people who need more help and less punishment. Wisconsin should be known for its quality higher education not -- as is the case now -- for a criminal justice and corrections system with some of the worst racial disparities in the nation. The funds for improving higher education will principally come from reductions in the Corrections budget — cuts which will eventually total over $100 million. Shifting investment to higher education will mean: Lower tuition Loan repayment support for students who remain in Wisconsin Restoration of tenure Improved faculty and staff pay scale competitive with other Midwestern schools More freshman classes so students do not have to enroll beyond eight semesters for a bachelor’s degree Agriculture Wisconsin's Food System We should produce abundant foods using sustainable methods in order to benefit both consumers and producers, and which will be resilient in the face of change. Farmers and Farming Wisconsin farmers should make a decent living, enabling them to contribute to a safe, abundant, nutritious and affordable food supply while sustaining natural resources and strengthening their communities. The State can help shape policy, build and maintain infrastructure, and provide incentives to advance that vision. We need to develop a more effective system of price supports -- or insurance -- that protects farmers from the vagaries of weather, disease, and fluctuations created by changes in import/export policies and tariffs. The state must have a governor and administration that thinks out the consequences of providing financial incentives designed to increase production. For example, will increased production lead to oversupply and lower prices putting all producers at risk? Support Grassroots Efforts The State of Wisconsin should support a network of regional statewide food policy councils to promote coordination among stakeholder groups on local food system issues. We can start by building on existing public markets, farmers markets, and cooperative efforts. While these markets can capture retail dollars from tourists and those interested in prepared food, the emphasis should be on providing producers a reliable outlet of fresh nutritious food to consumers. Incentivize Sustainable Food Production I will work with the agricultural community to conduct a systematic review of Wisconsin’s laws and regulations. We will make necessary changes to incentivize farming practices that reduce erosion, use water efficiently, improve soil health, reduce runoff, promote regional food systems, shorten food transportation distances, promote diversified, climate-change hearty crop cultivation, reduce greenhouse gases, and diversify the regional supply chain. Fresh potable water in our rivers, streams, lakes and aquifers is a high priority for both urban and rural residents. To protect our water, we must collaborate with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reduce contamination by phosphorus, nitrates, salts, as well as herbicides and pesticides and other pollutants or runoff. Build a Better Department of Natural Resources I am strongly committed to de-politicizing the DNR, so that it can become a robust, independent monitor of environmental laws, regulations, and permitting procedures that protect our free flowing water, ground water, and air. We must ensure adequate staffing levels to support aggressive monitoring and enforcement. Create a Climate Adaptation Plan for Agriculture I understand that Wisconsin’s agricultural system will continue to face profound, growing impacts from climate change. Preparing for these changes is urgent and essential. I will work with the agricultural community to create a comprehensive Agricultural Climate Adaptation Plan. The plan will be based on a view of farms and fields as integrated, bio- diverse landscapes and will: address necessary and ambitious changes in the agricultural system overall; include locally focused adaptation strategies; provide technical and financial support for farmers working to implement effective adaptations; identify necessary investments in adaptive agricultural infrastructure; assign specific implementation responsibilities; and create specific resources to implement planned strategies. Strengthen Agriculturally Related Transit and Internet I am committed to creating and maintaining a healthy highway infrastructure that includes rural roadways and provides for the transport of agricultural products and the movement of modern agricultural equipment while incentivizing freight optimization and the creation of low-emission long-haul vehicles. Again, everyone in Wisconsin must have access to high-speed broadband. Support Local Control, Especially Regarding CAFOs As a longtime mayor, I strongly support local control of siting decisions for industrial livestock operations or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). I will work to ensure the right of local governments to exceed state standards and requirements when it is best for their residents. CAFOs can create a terrible burden on town and county roads. Just as urban developers must pay for infrastructure, counties should be able to require CAFOs to pay for the increased road costs associated with their trucks. In addition, counties should be able to require security deposits or bonds from CAFOs to guarantee clean up, should they go out of business. In addition, I will work to strengthen the rights of local governments to regulate GMO and pesticide use. Create Fair Redress for GMO and Pesticide Drift I support the enactment of state laws that strengthen the rights of organic farmers to seek fair redress for GMO and pesticide drift that contaminates their lands and destroys the value of their products. Enlarge the Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Grant Program We must expand our Buy Local programs. It is estimated that as little as 5% of the food consumed in Wisconsin is produced here. Nutritious food costs more but we can start by reopening school kitchens and providing fresh meals, not frozen, empty calories from out of state. I will triple the annual expenditure (from $200,000 to $600,000) for the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection’s Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Grant program. This program has demonstrated its ability to increase local food sales, stimulate investment, and preserve and create jobs while keeping profits in Wisconsin. Promote Sensible Food Recovery I will support the development of robust food recovery systems and services including intelligent policies concerning food donation and diversion efforts for farm fresh foods. Become a Responsible Consumer The State of Wisconsin purchases a lot of food for its prisons, juvenile facilities, colleges and universities, office and service buildings, healthcare facilities, as well as meetings and conferences. The state should systematically review its purchasing policies and procedures to incentivize the development of supply chains grounded in local and regional sustainable food producers. Lift Up Urban Agriculture As governor, I will ensure urban agriculture can expand and thrive. These are a few of the steps I will take: Require the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to establish an Office of Urban Agriculture to promote, coordinate, and support the development of urban farming. Review and revise state building codes to ensure supportive policies that properly identify, permit, and regulate urban agriculture, including emerging indoor gardening approaches such as hydroponics, vertical gardens, aquaponics, and greenhouses. Consider model statutes that have been effective in California, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas and Utah to incentivize the development of urban agricultural zones via permissive changes in property appraisals and related cropland rate taxation for urban parcels placed in agricultural use. Act 10 Mayor Soglin was the first of the gubernatorial candidates to oppose Act 10. On Saturday February 12, 2011 he joined a group of University of Wisconsin graduate teaching and research assistants in a march to the state capitol in opposition to Scott Walker’s proposal to destroy public employee unions. The following week, he made repeated public statements in opposition to Act 10 including multiple posts on his blog, Waxingamerica, the first post going up on Sunday, the following day: "The way to improve public services and reduce costs is to trust public employees and give them the opportunity to do quality work." This was not the reaction of at least one other candidate in the Democratic primary for Governor. From Politifact: (Mahlon) Mitchell was effusive in his praise of Walker in a statement he issued on Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin letterhead on Feb. 11, 2011, a week before he protested Act 10 in Madison: We are pleased that Gov. Walker recognizes the critical work that we do protecting the residents of our communities. We are there 24 hours every day, 7 days every week. We do our jobs regardless of conditions that we face. We also know that all public employees across this great state are hardworking, dedicated individuals. We all make sacrifices every day but the Governor recognizes that what we do is unique and we applaud him for recognizing that. Governor Walker from the time he was a State Representative has demonstrated that he understands what we do and why we do it and why it is so important to our communities. We know that state and local governments are facing tough economic times. We look forward to working with Gov. Walker, state legislators of both political parties, local officials, and other public sector unions in an effort to help solve the severe economic problems that our state is facing. Lis Smith, a spokeswoman for Mitchell’s campaign, said in an email that the statement came before union officials "understood the full consequences of the legislation and the devastating effect that it would have on Wisconsin's workers." "As soon as the bill came out and they saw really what the effects would be, they came out against it," Smith said. "You can’t say he wasn’t one of the leaders against Act 10 when he was out there day after day after day fighting it." Eleven days after the statement, Mitchell said at a Capitol news conference that firefighters would be willing to take the same pension and health care changes as other unions if the governor would drop his push to limit collective bargaining rights. Elected as mayor in April of 2011, Mayor Soglin lead the way in finding new protections for workers by instituting the “employee handbooks” which codified the defunct labor agreements in the post-Act 10 world. Paul Soglin on Act 10 There a number of actions by the Walker Administration that need to be reversed. They are all important. They include weakening of environmental regulations and the DNR, obstructions to democracy like Voter ID and limiting voting hours, the decision to fight the Affordable Health Care Act, assaults on a woman’s right to choose her health alternatives, stripping local control from school boards and city councils, and of course destroying protections for Wisconsin workers in the enactment of Act 10. Act 10 was devastating. It did more than destroy public employee unions. Valuable, experienced teachers and public works employees retired depriving us of their experience and institutional knowledge. It left many public agencies with no process to deal with employee grievances and discipline. When Act 10 was introduced, Wisconsin had one of the lowest ratios of public employees per capita among the states; the quality of Wisconsin public service was among the best. We are still good but the long range prospects are questionable as a result on Act 10: the best and the brightest are no longer as enthusiastic to stay in Wisconsin and teach and serve. People ask me if I support repealing Act 10. The answer is not that simple. We have to do more. We need to restore full collective bargaining rights for public and private employees, strengthen the role of unions, and end the race to the bottom. Many Wisconsinites were unhappy that they did not have the pensions and health insurance received by public employees. The solution was not to undermine public employees but to improve everyone else’s benefits. Leadership is instinctively knowing what to do. Wisconsin needs a governor who will do the right thing when there is no playbook. Guns Prohibit persons convicted of domestic violent crimes or subject to restraining orders from acquiring or possessing firearms; All domestic violence and drug abuse prohibiting records should be entered into background check systems. Those convicted of such crimes and misdemeanors must turn in their weapons. Ban replica handguns designed to look like real weapons. Supports a universal law enforcement data-base allowing for the tracing of all weapons. Opposes programs to arm any non-law enforcement personnel (including teachers) in public schools. Supports public safety legislation requiring background checks for all firearm sales regardless of site (brick and mortar store, mail order, internet, gun shows). Opposes “stand your ground” and “shoot first” legislation and a return to the traditional standard derived from English Common Law of “The Castle Doctrine” i.e. required to retreat unless there is no safe place or the individual or others are in life threatening danger. Supports an effective ban on military-style assault weapons such as the AK-47 and its component parts Supports no guns for those on terrorist or do-not-fly lists. Supports limits on the number of firearms that can be purchased at one time and within a month. Supports a ban on anyone other than a licensed dealer moving multiple weapons across state lines, unless the firearms are used as part of educational, scientific, museum or competition activity. Supports a ban on non-law enforcement owning, possessing, or using armor piercing bullets. LGBTQ The Record In his first term as mayor Paul Soglin in 1975, working with Rev. James Wight, Director of the Equal Opportunities Commission, passed Madison’s non-discrimination ordinance on the basis of sexual orientation. This placed Madison in the first dozen cities in the country to enact such an ordinance. In his second term as mayor Paul Soglin, working with gay Republican Alder Jim McFarland and building on the work of the Madison Institute for Social Legislation (MSIL), led the effort to pass full domestic partner benefits for gay and lesbian families in Madison. Madison was the first city in the state of Wisconsin to recognize gay and lesbian families. Soglin also joined other mayors in the 1993 effort to cancel the nation’s mayor’s meeting in Colorado when that state had passed an anti-gay rights law. In his present term mayor Paul Soglin has worked to ensure that Madison has scored 100% on the Equality Index for LGBT citizens put out by the Human Rights Campaign. Madison has achieved that score every year since 2013. The Issues As Governor, Paul Soglin will: Amend Wisconsin non-discrimination law to include transgender individuals. Work with state agencies to increase vigorous non-discrimination enforcement for all equal rights. Highlight an annual Governor’s report on discrimination matters and hate crimes to ensure protection and public safety to all Wisconsin citizens. Increase access to competent and affirming health care for transgender individuals. Restore transgender health benefits for state employees taken away in 2017. Benefits such as health matters should be decided on a medical basis. Oppose legislative efforts like the current pending SB 634 that would destroy local ordinances protecting non-discrimination across Wisconsin including local labor agreements. Oppose any “bathroom” bills and work to ensure state facilities provide gender neutral and family bathrooms. Support legislation to ban so called “conversion therapy” for minors in the state which can pose youth health risks. Milwaukee has already enacted a ban on youth conversion therapy. Create an inclusive administration by appointing LGBT people to positions throughout state government as Soglin has have done in the city of Madison. Soglin will recreate the Governor’s Council on LGBT Issues, first created by Governor Tony Earl in 1983.	”
—Soglin for Governor

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Political offices
Preceded by Dave Cieslewicz	Mayor of Madison 2011–2019	Succeeded by Satya Rhodes-Conway