GREEN BAY, Wis. — With an audible sigh Eric Genrich hugged and shook hands with his supporters late Tuesday night.
The incumbent Green Bay mayor said the city has accomplished a lot in the last four years and he plans to continue that work over the next term.
“We’ve done things a bit differently as well. We’ve welcomed some new people into the process. We’ve put a focus on resiliency and fighting climate change and opening up city government and leaning into democracy,” Genrich said. “I’m really proud of that stuff, but we have a lot to do.”
Genrich fended off a challenge from Chad Weininger, who heads up Brown County’s Department of Administration. He said it wasn’t an easy campaign.
“It was grueling. This was a real serious fight, but I appreciate Chad stepping up and running,” Genrich said. “He called shortly after the results were finalized and I thanked him for running. It was a little bit of a slog, so I’m happy to be at the finish line.”
The race was one that caught the attention of many voters in the city, such as resident Justin Lambert who voted late Tuesday afternoon.
“A lot of us get distracted with a lot of the national politics, but local politics is where a lot of the rubber meets the road when it comes to things that are influencing our life every day,” he said. “Mayor’s races, assembly seats, those sort of things I think are really important reasons to get out and vote and engage in your civic duty.”
Genrich said he’ll lead for all residents of the city.
“In politics, people have differences of opinion and I welcome that. People are able to manage those differences but still focus on what we share in common and put that to work to benefit a community like Green Bay,” he said. “That’s a great thing.”