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By Natalie Venegas
Weekend Reporter
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Former South Carolina Republican Representative William Cogswell will be the next mayor of Charleston after a historic victory in Tuesday's run-off election.
Cogswell, a 48-year-old real estate developer who represented House District 110 in the Statehouse from 2017 until 2022, defeated Mayor John Tecklenburg by about 2 percentage points, according to the Associated Press. Results posted online by the South Carolina Election Commission showed a 569-vote margin.
Cogswell, who describes himself as a moderate and earned endorsements from some of the state's most prominent GOP members, including Senator Tim Scott, will be the first Republican mayor in Charleston since Reconstruction (December 8, 1863 to March 31, 1877).
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Following Republican George Cunningham's two two-year terms beginning in 1873, Democrat William W. Sale become mayor of Charleston in 1877, and there hasn't been a Republican in office since, according to city records.
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"The people have spoken and we're ready for a new direction," Cogswell said at an election watch party Tuesday night. "A new direction that's smart and safe and sound. A new direction that puts our citizens and residents first. A new direction that puts labels aside so that we can find pragmatic solutions to our problems.
"If you didn't vote for me, I hope to earn your trust and respect as your next mayor."
Tecklenburg conceded the mayoral race at a Tuesday watch party, expressing that he is still optimistic for the city after his two terms as mayor.
In a statement emailed to Newsweek on Wednesday, Tecklenburg's campaign emphasized its support for Cogswell.
"As Mayor Tecklenburg said last night, the election is over, and it's time for all of us to give our support and best wishes to Mayor-elect Cogswell—because now, when he succeeds, Charleston succeeds. And that's what we all want for this great city we're proud to call home," Jennifer Mieras, Tecklenburg for Mayor campaign manager, said in the statement.
While mayoral races are technically nonpartisan, Tecklenburg is a well-known figure in the state's Democratic politics, endorsing Joe Biden in South Carolina's pivotal 2020 presidential primary.
Newsweek has reached out to Cogswell campaign via email for comment.
The South Carolina Republican Party celebrated Cogswell's win by sharing in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
"Last night, Republicans made history in the City of Charleston by electing the first Republican Mayor since 1877. Congratulations to William Cogswell and his team on winning his mayoral campaign. This win is representative of the shifting momentum we're seeing all across the state, as there are now GOP mayors in three of the largest cities in South Carolina: Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. This is what happens when Republicans work together as a team to promote our principles and win," said Drew McKissick, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.
Newsweek has reached out to the South Carolina Democratic Party via email for comment.
Charleston became the second reliably blue area in South Carolina—where Republicans dominate congressional and statewide politics—to choose a Republican mayor in recent years. In 2021, Daniel Rickenmann, a longtime City Council member backed by Republicans, was chosen as the mayor of the capital city, Columbia.
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