The City of Charleston this week elected a Republican mayor for the first time since the mid-1870s, signifying a new chapter for the centuries-old southern city.
The new mayor, William Cogswell, a former state representative and real estate developer, won a tight runoff election on Tuesday against Mayor John Tecklenburg, a Democrat who was seeking his third term in office.
Mr. Cogswell’s election indicates a shift for Charleston, a stubbornly left-leaning city that has consistently elected Democratic mayors — including one to 10 terms — even as the state as a whole has not voted for a Democratic president since 1976.
The mayor’s office in Charleston is technically nonpartisan, though mayors are often known to identify with a party.
The city’s last Republican mayor served until 1877, according to city records and The Associated Press.
Persons:
William Cogswell, Mayor John Tecklenburg, Cogswell
Organizations:
Republican, Mayor, Democrat, Charleston, Democratic, —, Associated Press, Mr
Locations:
Charleston, state’s