Historic Win: Charleston Elects First Republican Mayor in Over a Century

Charleston, South Carolina, has elected its first Republican mayor since the Reconstruction Era. William Cogswell, a former Republican state lawmaker, defeated incumbent Democratic Mayor John Tecklenburg in a runoff election. Although Charleston's municipal elections are technically nonpartisan, Cogswell's victory marks a significant shift in the city's political landscape. Cogswell, who describes himself as a moderate, received endorsements from prominent Republicans in the state. This win follows the election of a Republican mayor in South Carolina's capital city of Columbia in 2021.