This City Elected a Republican Mayor for the 1st Time Since 1877

William Cogswell won a nail-biting race with a margin of fewer than 600 votes in a city known for its Southern hospitality and charm.

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock， Courtesy of William Cogswell

CHARLESTON, S.C.—A city known best for its tourist attractions, seafood, and vibrant Southern culture has just elected its first Republican mayor since 1877.

By an extremely thin margin, former South Carolina Rep. William Cogswell, a Republican, defeated Democrat incumbent Mayor John Tecklenburg to take the helm of one of the South’s most prominent cities.