[MADISON, Wis.] — On April 4, the City of Madison was 103 votes shy of electing its first conservative City Council member in years. University of Wisconsin student Charlie Fahey garnered 49% of the vote in the 8th District, which represents most of the UW-Madison campus.
Fahey’s opponent was strongly backed by Madison’s progressive establishment, including the Democratic Party of Dane County, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Sen. Kelda Roys, Rep. Francesca Hong, Rep. Alex Joers, the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, the Working Families Party, the Green Party, and the Capital Times.
The area has a long history of progressive representation. U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin have held the 8th District seat.
“I ran on issues that reflect my convictions: make housing more affordable, support the police, and strengthen democracy,” said Fahey. “The silent majority—even in Madison—is fed up with bad ideas, but we often fail to articulate a strong alternative. I hope this shows that if you build a dynamic message and work hard to implement it, voters will respond.”
“Thank you to everyone who supported the campaign. We worked hard, addressed the real issues, and made a strong case. I promise to continue my fight.”
