Overview

• Charleston, South Carolina has elected its first Republican mayor since the 1870s, marking a significant political shift for the city.
• William Cogswell, a former state representative and real estate developer, won a tight runoff election against incumbent Democratic Mayor John Tecklenburg.
• Cogswell, who identifies as a moderate, received support from both conservative and liberal voters, emphasizing his commitment to pragmatic solutions over partisan politics.
• Cogswell's victory indicates a shift in Charleston, a city that has consistently elected Democratic mayors, even as the state as a whole has leaned Republican.
• Cogswell's campaign focused on issues related to crime, the city's population boom, economic growth, and maintaining Charleston's historic character.