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Johnsrud, 41, general manager of Johnsrud Enterprises Inc., which buys and sells mainly collectible guns, received 5,519 votes, compared with 4,925 for Swanson, a 63-year-old industrial consultant with North Side roots.
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Mark Johnsrud embraces his wife Tracy after getting word that he won the La Crosse mayoral election.
Erik Daily |
The margin was 52.8 percent to 47.2 percent. Turnout was 10,761, almost 33 percent of the city's registered voters, though not everyone voted for mayor.
Johnsrud and the new La Crosse Common Council members will be sworn in April 19. The council then will elect a new president and representative to the Board of Public Works.
Johnsrud won all South Side and mid-town districts but one, while Swanson carried the four North Side districts.
"I maintained a positive message on what the city has done, and that message made a difference," Johnsrud said during his victory party at Loons in Howie's Hof Brau.
"I have to thank the people for coming out. These people came out because they believe the city has a bright future. Residents believe the city is moving in a positive direction."
But Johnsrud said the campaign brought out that the city has issues, including flood plain management and how City Hall deals with people.
He commended Swanson for sticking with the issues, and said he plans to spend time with his wife and family now that the campaign is over.
Swanson congratulated Johnsrud on his victory, wished him well, and said he hoped Johnsrud addresses the property tax issue, especially for the elderly on fixed incomes, and the concerns about City Hall.
Swanson, who met with supporters at the House of China on Tuesday night, thanked everyone who voted for him and contributed to his campaign, physically and monetarily, as well as those who encouraged him to run.
"I think I had an uphill push, but we pushed hard and we did a good job," Swanson said. "Things didn't work out like we wanted them to, but things don't always work out the way you want them to."
He said he will continue working in consulting.
"Life isn't going to change that much," Swanson said. "I will continue to volunteer in the community and doing good things for people."
The election was the first really wide-open race for La Crosse mayor in 30 years, following Patrick Zielke's 22 years in office and outgoing mayor John Medinger's eight years as mayor. Swanson and Johnsrud emerged from a field of 14 candidates in the Feb. 15 primary, after Medinger announced he would not seek re-election.
The race for Tuesday's election was hard-fought, with the two battling for the 63 percent of the vote that went to the other candidates in the primary. Johnsrud, who has served eight years on the La Crosse Common Council and four years as president, was seen as the insider candidate, and Swanson, who has been off the council since serving six years in the 1970s, as the outsider.
Johnsrud campaigned as the candidate with experience and a positive attitude who would work to increase La Crosse's tax base, attract more jobs and make City Hall a friendlier place.
He defended the city's actions on several fronts as Swanson, who hired political consultant Sue Lynch to manage his campaign, attacked Johnsrud for high taxes, jobs leaving the city and what he termed an unfriendly attitude in some City Hall departments.
Joan Kent can be reached at (608) 791-8221 or jkent@lacrossetribune.com.
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