Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced Friday that she will not seek a third term next year, citing threats and harassment as well as a deteriorating political climate.
“It has been a tremendous honor to be your Mayor,” Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “We have moved Madison forward and our record proves that. But for me, the price of serving has become too high. This was not an easy decision, but it is the right decision for me and my family, our personal safety, mental health and wellbeing.”
Rhodes-Conway had launched a re-election campaign in mid-July, but almost immediately came under fire during the leftist takeover of an intersection following the officer-involved shooting death of Corey Ruiz. Agitators harshly criticized her handling of their autonomous zone and even hijacked her press conference during the occupation.
Rhodes-Conway seemed to hint at this opposition being the key factor in her decision to retire.
“I have always welcomed honest disagreement and invited community input, but over the years the balance has shifted from productive discussion to increasingly vitriolic, personal attacks from people who seem not to care about actually understanding and debating an issue,” she said. “How can any leader govern responsibly when personal attacks and baseless conspiracies carry more weight than facts? How can any Mayor be effective when a difference of opinion is cast as unforgivable betrayal that justifies threats of violence?
“When I ran for mayor, I expected to make sacrifices – but I did not expect the level of threats to myself, Council members, my staff, and my family. I did not expect our civic discourse to deteriorate so severely. And I did not expect the levels of implicit and explicit sexism to which I have been subjected to from the very beginning of my first campaign.”
Rhodes-Conway said she will not endorse any candidate before the January filing deadline and is unlikely to do so afterward. Eight candidates have declared their intention to run in the April election. Rhodes-Conway was first elected in 2019.
“I first ran for office because I believe in the potential of our city,” she said Friday. “I believe Madison has the potential to create a future in which the price of service is not too high for a broad and diverse set of future leaders, who feel empowered to tackle hard problems without fear of threats and harassment.
“All of us can be part of creating that future, by leading with curiosity, engaging across differences, and extending each other grace. We can get to know our neighbors and connect in person instead of through screens. And we can choose to find ways to make a positive difference rather than sitting back and criticizing.”
