After a grueling, costly campaign, Dave Cieslewicz defied convention Tuesday and beat local legend Paul Soglin to become Madison's next mayor.

Cieslewicz, executive director of the nonprofit environmental group, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, had 51 percent of the vote to 49 percent for Soglin, mayor for 14 years during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

The final margin was a slim 1,189 votes among more than 58,000 cast in a strong 33 percent turnout.

"That went OK," Cieslewicz told a throng gathered at Luther's Blues Downtown.

More seriously, Cieslewicz said, "The time has come for us to look beyond us and them. It's time for us to work together."

He praised Soglin and Mayor Sue Bauman, vowing, "I promise both of them to leave the city in better condition than when I found it."

Soglin conceded the race just before 10 p.m. before supporters who had gathered at the Angelic Brewing Co.

"It was not possible to build a really solid base going into this general election," Soglin said, as tears rimmed the eyes of some of his backers. "The city is still a great city."

Later, Soglin said, "I'm very disappointed because I wanted to be mayor. But I'm more concerned about my kids and Sara (his wife.)"

Cieslewicz overpowered Soglin on the Isthmus and out East Washington Avenue and Mineral Point Road. Soglin was strong in the city's outskirts.

Don Kettl, political science professor at UW-Madison, said Cieslewicz held onto his base and won most of those who supported progressive candidate Bert Zipperer, who placed third in the primary, followed by Bauman.

Cieslewicz is poised to "redefine the progressive tradition for 21st century Madison," Kettl said.

The election was a victory for smart growth, taming traffic and controlling taxes, said Dane County Sup. Brett Hulsey, Madison, senior Midwest representative of the Sierra Club.

The campaign was probably as much about approach to government and style - the calm, "nice guy" Cieslewicz versus the creative but feisty Soglin - as it was a clash over issues.

Cieslewicz, who launched his campaign with a typically humorous call to elect a mayor with "more creatively placed consonants in his name," spent the early months educating people on how to say it, and wove in a serious theme of new ideas and leadership.

He assembled high-profile support, including enthusiastic backing from Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and most of the city's delegation to the state Legislature. And he edged Soglin in the six-person primary, which shocked Soglin, who had big advantages in name recognition and money.

Falk's support was a huge boon for Cieslewicz, Soglin said Tuesday.

Saying the city can no longer be "fortress Madison," Cieslewicz stressed cooperation with the county and neighboring communities, in contrast to Soglin's sometimes combative past.

And with cool demeanor and deadpan humor, he proved largely unflappable during the campaign, even when Soglin threw hard punches on financial issues and experience.

But Soglin ran hard.

The former campus radical refused to concede the left - the political party Progressive Dane made no endorsement in the general election - and he got the support of business and labor interests.

Soglin had the support of at least 12 of 20 City Council members, the entire Madison School Board, and 26 neighboring mayors, village presidents and town chairs, which blunted Cieslewicz's claim about working better with others.

Mostly, Soglin stressed his extensive experience in city finances at a time Madison faces big cuts in state financial assistance.

But Cieslewicz attacked Soglin's financial record, claiming that Soglin's experience seemed to be about raising property taxes.

Cieslewicz also overcame Soglin's money.

Soglin raised $223,000 through March 17, compared to $151,000 for Cieslewicz.

The Sierra Club, which endorsed Cieslewicz, blasted Soglin for taking $49,000 of his contributions from developers, landlords and real estate interests.

The candidates' combined contributions - with more to be reported - easily surpass those for the general election finalists six years ago.

Speaking to almost disbelieving supporters Tuesday, Cieslewicz vowed to make affordable housing, land use, transportation, the environment, ending sprawl, better collaboration with other governments and controlling property taxes top priorities.

"If we do all that, there will be one measure of our success," he said. "We'll have a city so welcoming, so decent and so extraordinary, it will be worthy of the name home."