Charleston elects Republican mayor for first time since 1870s

The town of Charleston, South Carolina, has elected its first Republican mayor for the reason that reconstruction period of the 1870s. 

In keeping with the South Carolina Election Fee, state Rep. William Cogswell defeated incumbent Mayor John Tecklenburg (D) by two share factors in runoff election Tuesday. 

5 hundred and sixty-six votes separated the 2 candidates, in accordance with the fee’s outcomes.  

The Related Press reported that regardless of receiving probably the most votes within the basic municipal election earlier this month, Cogswell didn’t receive a majority, ensuing within the runoff election. 

Cogswell, 48, served three phrases as a Republican within the state Home and obtained endorsements from some within the state’s GOP political circle, together with Sen. Tim Scott. 

“We are able to confidently say that I’m going to be the subsequent mayor,” Cogswell mentioned Tuesday night time. The folks have spoken, and we’re prepared for a brand new path…a brand new path that places labels apart, in order that we are able to discover pragmatic options to our issues.”

In his concession speech, Tecklenburg referred to as his eight-year run as Charleston’s mayor as “the distinction of my life,” asking his supporters to rally behind Cogswell, in accordance with The AP. 

“I’d prefer to congratulate our new Mayor-Elect William Cogswell … and I’d prefer to ask each Charlestonian, all people on the market, to offer him your assist,” Tecklenburg mentioned. “When Mayor Cogswell succeeds, Charleston succeeds, and that’s one thing we’re all in favor of.”

That is the primary time the South Carolina metropolis has chosen a Republican to function its mayor for the reason that 1870s, in accordance with historic information from the town. 

The current election makes Charleston the second reliably Democratic metropolis within the state to commerce a Democrat for a Republican mayor in recent times. Daniel Rickenmann (R), then a longtime metropolis council member, turned the primary in current historical past when he was elected mayor of Columbia in 2021.

“Congratulations to Charleston Mayor-Elect William Cogswell on his main victory!,” the Republican Nationwide Committee (RNC) wrote in a put up to X, the social media platform previously often known as Twitter. “Charleston will now have a Republican mayor for the primary time since 1877!”

The Related Press contributed.