Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz formally announced his support for Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards Thursday night at the University of Wisconsin.

UW students, including members of the UW College Democrats and UW Students for John Edwards, were on hand at Ingraham Hall to listen as Cieslewicz announced his support.

"I think it's going to be a Democratic year," Cieslewicz said. "Any of the leading Democrats will beat any of their guys."

Cieslewicz said among the Democratic candidates, Edwards is "the most electable, he is the most capable and most idealistic candidate; he relates to people better than some of the other candidates."

Cieslewicz has a history of supporting Edwards and previously endorsed him in 2004, adding he always has "been attracted to the underdogs."

Cieslewicz added he was first drawn to Edwards because he is "taking on poverty."

"We haven't had a national administrator that has stopped the issue of poverty in America," Cieslewicz said. "I have very similar goals, but you really have to attack the issue of poverty nationally."

It is important, Cieslewicz said, for national leaders to set goals, and Edwards has done that.

"He wants to eliminate poverty in 30 years, be out of Iraq in one year and get the 47 million Americans without health insurance insured by 2012," Cieslewicz said. "There is no other candidate who is challenging us and supporting that ideal."

UW fifth-year senior and head of UW Students for John Edwards, David Hoffert, thinks John Edwards will "absolutely" win his bid for the presidency.

"He's going to come through in the individual states, but Iowa is the big thing he has going right now," Hoffert said.

But Cieslewicz thinks Edwards has changed some since the last presidential election. 

"He has more of an edge now, and I think we need some edge, someone to tell it like it is, he's willing to fight and raise some issues that people shy away from," Cieslewicz said. "He's a trial lawyer, so he knows how to think on his feet and fashion an argument."

UW sophomore Sam Roecker said Edwards is an electable, progressive leader.

"He has lots of support in Iowa without even advertising," Roecker said. "Obama and Clinton have spent millions, and he's on the same level as them."

The student vote, Cieslewicz added, will be very important in electing Edwards.

"Students got me elected, students probably turned the state Senate Democratic," Cieslewicz said. "Wisconsin is going to be a key state in the election, and students could literally elect the next president of the United States."