I haven't been following this election, but one thing I've wondered is if former Mayor Dave Ross has weighed in on it at all. My guess is that he hasn't.

But in a way, he kind of did, four years ago. 

I interviewed Mayor Ross for a Business North story as his first term was coming to a close in 2007. Part of the interview that I didn't include in my story was his comments about former mayor Bruce Hagen, who at that time was retired and living in Oregon, Wis., a suburb of Madison.

It didn't seem relevant to anything at the time, but now that Hagen is back in town and running for mayor it might be interesting to read Mayor Ross' thoughts about him:

Bruce Hagen served our city during a time in which I believe we saw more progress than we have seen under a number of mayors in our city's history. He was the one who transformed Barker's Island. He was smart. He worked hard. He understood how cities run. He had that everyday kind of passion. I watched him — I didn't know him at the time; I'd met him, but didn't know him — and I saw how his kind of leadership picked up the whole attitude of the community. He was a real leader — not just a good bureaucrat, but a great leader. So, I've always admired Bruce Hagen. 

When I started putting my campaign together, I had very, very strongly in my mind that I wanted to do everything I could to lead in the same fashion. I had this absolute fascination not only with his 12 years of leadership here in the city. I've called him and we've had lunch many times and I've sought his advice.

So there's that.