William Cogswell
Mayor of Charleston
Assuming office
January 8, 2024
SucceedingJohn Tecklenburg
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 110th district
In office
November 14, 2016 – November 14, 2022
Preceded byChip Limehouse
Succeeded byTom Hartnett Jr.
Personal details
Born
William Scott Cogswell

(1975-01-14) January 14, 1975
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLucile Lampton
Children2
EducationUniversity of the South (BA)
Columbia University (MS)

William Scott Cogswell Jr. (born January 14, 1975) is an American politician and businessman who is mayor of the city of Charleston. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 110th District from 2016 to 2022. Cogswell was elected mayor in 2023 after defeating incumbent John Tecklenburg and is the first Republican mayor of Charleston in more than a century.

Early life, family and education

William Cogswell was born on January 14, 1975, in Charleston, South Carolina.[1] He is a distant relative of Colonel Milton Cogswell, who was named a provisional Mayor of Charleston in 1868.[2]

Cogswell graduated from The University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and English. He earned a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in 2003.[3]

Political career

A member of the Republican Party, Cogswell served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 110th District from 2016 to 2022.[4][5]

Cogswell was elected mayor on November 21, 2023 after defeating incumbent John Tecklenburg in a runoff.[6][7][8][9] He is the first Republican mayor of Charleston since 1877.[10][11]

Endorsements for Cogswell included South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, state Representative Mark Smith, and state Senator Larry Grooms.[12] South Carolina Republican Party chair Drew McKissick said in a press statement that Cogswell's victory represented a 'shifting momentum', referencing Republican Mayors elected in South Carolina's largest cities: Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston.[13][14]

Cogswell has endorsed Nikki Haley in the 2024 Republican presidential primary race.[15]

On December 15, 2023, Cogswell announced his appointment of senior staff:

  • Elizabeth Applegate Dieck, chief of staff
  • Logan McVey, chief policy officer
  • Deja Knight McMillan, director of communications
  • Wendell Gilliard, special advisor, quality of life and community outreach
  • Mika Gadsden, special advisor, community and environmental initiatives.[16]

Electoral history

South Carolina House of Representatives District 110
Year Candidate Votes Pct Candidate Votes Pct Candidate Votes Pct Candidate Votes Pct
2016 Republican Primary[17] William S. Cogswell Jr. 1,051 34.4% Russell Guerard 792 25.9% Trey Harrell 626 20.5% Eddie Phipps 537 17.6%
2016 Republican Primary Runoff[18] William S. Cogswell Jr. 1,063 52.8% Russell Guerard 951 47.2%
2016 General Election[19] William S. Cogswell Jr. 11,961 65.1% Alice Wakefield 6,416 34.9%
2018 Republican Primary William S. Cogswell Jr. (i) 1,722 46.3% Russell Guerard 1,589 42.7% Will Freeman 411 11.0%
2018 Republican Primary Runoff William S. Cogswell Jr. (i) 2,214 58.7% Russell Guerard 1,556 41.3%
2018 General Election[20] William S. Cogswell Jr. (i) 9,264 55.1% Ben Pogue 7,548 44.9% Others/Write-in 9 0.0%

Charleston Mayoral Debate by WCBD-TV

Mika & William interview by Charleston activist and former mayoral candidate Mika Gadsden

References

  1. ↑ "South Carolina Legislature Online - Member Biography". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  2. ↑ Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas (November 23, 2023). "Charleston Elects Republican Mayor for First Time Since 1870s". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  3. ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-cogswell-55074519/
  4. ↑ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  5. ↑ "South Carolina Legislature Online - Member Biography". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  6. ↑ Byrd, Caitlin (November 21, 2023). "Cogswell declares victory in Charleston mayor race". The Post and Courier. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ Brams, Sophie (November 21, 2023). "William Cogswell elected mayor of Charleston". WCBD-TV. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  8. ↑ Baldwin, Skyler (November 21, 2023). "Nail-biter: Cogswell narrowly beats Tecklenburg in mayoral runoff". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  9. ↑ Kayanja, Ian (November 22, 2023). "Vote certified: William Cogswell officially set to be Charleston's next mayor". WCIV-TV. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  10. ↑ BERNSTEIN, BRITTANY (November 22, 2023). "Charleston, S.C., Elects First Republican Mayor Since the 1870s". The National Review. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  11. ↑ Visser, Nick (November 24, 2023). "Charleston, South Carolina, Elects First Republican Mayor Since 1870s". Huffpost. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kayanja, Ian (November 16, 2023). "Critical endorsements flow in for both Cogswell & Tecklenburg ahead of Tuesday's mayoral runoff". WCIV-TV. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  13. ↑ Venegas, Natalie (November 22, 2023). "Republican Lands Historic Win in South Carolina". Newsweek. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  14. ↑ Johnson, Julia (November 22, 2023). "Republican elected mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, for first time in almost 150 years". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  15. ↑ Byrd, Caitlin (November 28, 2023). "Charleston's next mayor William Cogswell endorses Nikki Haley in GOP primary race". The Post and Courier. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  16. ↑ Kayanja, Ian (December 16, 2023). "Mayor-elect Cogswell announces diverse senior staff for Charleston leadership". WCIV-TV. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  17. ↑ "SC - Election Results - SC House 110 Rep". www.enr-scvotes.org. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  18. ↑ "SC - Election Results - SC House 110 Rep Runoff". www.enr-scvotes.org. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  19. ↑ "SC - Election Results - SC House 110 General". www.enr-scvotes.org. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Election Night Reporting - SC House 110 General". www.enr-scvotes.org. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
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