Ilstrup said his campaign will emphasize hands-on, collaborative leadership aimed at tackling long-standing local challenges. "More proactive leadership, leadership that will get into the community, roll up their sleeves to bring people together on some of these issues that we have had challenges with for so many years," he said. "Whether that is creating a task force, bringing those experts together even from outside the community to look at those problems, to work together."

He said his motivation for running comes from a deep affection for the city.

The announcement comes after Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, who previously said she would not seek another term, filed a declaration of non-candidacy. Her decision opened the field to a crowded contest now numbering nine declared candidates.

Ilstrup's role at Downtown Madison Inc., an organization that advocates for the city's central business district, gives him a prominent platform on issues including economic development, housing, and the vitality of the downtown core — concerns that have taken on added urgency as Madison continues to grapple with affordability and growth pressures.

With the race already large and still taking shape, the candidates will need to distinguish themselves on questions of housing policy, climate resilience, transit, and equitable development. Ilstrup's pitch for convening experts and community stakeholders suggests he intends to frame his candidacy around pragmatic problem-solving rather than partisan positioning.

The election will determine who leads Wisconsin's capital city at a time when local governments are being asked to do more with limited resources and when federal and state policy shifts increasingly affect municipal priorities.