After several weeks of speculation, Jason Ilstrup, the president of Downtown Madison Inc. since 2018, announced Tuesday in a LinkedIn post that he will run for mayor of Madison in 2027.
Ilstrup’s entry into the race comes less than three weeks after incumbent Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway changed course and announced she would not seek a third term, citing a “toxic political culture” that has threatened her family’s safety and mental health.
In his announcement, Ilstrup promised a more responsive city government.
“A lot of you have been in meetings with me, so you know how I end every one of them: What do you need from me? How can I help?” he said in the LinkedIn post.
“Lately, when I ask people that question, I keep hearing the same thing. They love this city, but they’re starting to wonder if it still has room for them,” he said.
“I want to build a Madison with room for every single one of us. That means more housing, more ways to get around, real support for our small businesses, investments in every neighborhood, and a City Hall that picks up the phone the first time.”
Ilstrup joins a crowded field of candidates who have already announced their intention to run.
The field for the open mayor’s race includes One City Schools founder Kaleem Caire; Syed Abbas, deputy legislative director at the state Dept. of Health Services and a former alder and council president; Brian Bedford, a success coach for UW-Madison’s
Odyssey Project and former alder; artist Natalia Hacerola; Monkey Bar Gym founder Jonny Hinds; Marcus Robert Johnson, a bartender and boxing champion; April Kigeya, a former Dane County Board supervisor and Larry Ace Williams, who has worked in food service and hospitality.
The primary is Feb. 16. The top two vote-getters will then advance to the Spring Election on April 6.
Following Ilstrup’s announcement, Downtown Madison released a statement noting Ilstrup will step away from organizational activities that could create a conflict. The statement reads in part:
“Today, DMI President Jason Ilstrup announced his candidacy for Mayor of Madison. On behalf of DMI’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, we want to share how the organization is preparing for this development and reaffirm our commitment to the work and partnerships that make DMI such a valuable part of our downtown community.
“DMI’s board leadership has been working closely with Jason to thoughtfully anticipate and plan for the demands on his time as the campaign progresses, with a clear focus on maintaining the organization’s strength, independence, and effectiveness.
“As part of this process, we are establishing clear boundaries between Jason’s campaign activities and his responsibilities at DMI. He will step away from organizational activities that could create actual or perceived conflicts with his candidacy, while the Executive Committee puts additional leadership and operational arrangements in place to ensure continuity in DMI’s work and priorities.”
