Charleston, S.C., Elects First GOP Mayor Since 1870s

The city of Charleston, S.C., this week elected William Cogswell as mayor, marking the first time the city has elected a Republican to the post in over 100 years.

The last GOP mayor in the city was elected in the 1870s, according to the Associated Press.

Cogswell was elected on Tuesday, defeating incumbent Democratic Mayor John Tecklenburg by about 2 percentage points.

Mayoral elections in Charleston are technically nonpartisan, but Cogswell is a former Republican state representative, and Tecklenburg is a figure in the state's Democratic scene, having endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 primary election.

The runoff between Cogswell and Tecklenburg happened this week after neither of them was able to secure a majority of the vote on the initial Nov. 7 elections.

"The people have spoken, and we’re ready for a new direction," Cpgswell said. "A new direction that puts labels aside, so that we can find pragmatic solutions to our problems.”