The Charleston mayoral runoff took a quick turn in the endorsement pursuit when fourth-place finisher Peter Shahid announced he is backing Mayor John Tecklenburg's rival — William Cogswell, who finished first in the vote count.
"The Holy City has not progressed to the level we need or expect from the mayor. John Tecklenburg has failed us," Shahid said in a statement issued by the Cogswell campaign.
"I am excited to support William Cogswell and his winning campaign," he added.
Shahid separately confirmed to The Post and Courier he is endorsing Cogswell. The endorsement could be significant in than Shahid collected 8 percent of the vote Nov. 7, or about 2,365 votes out of 30,758 cast, according to unofficial returns.
Shahid, an incumbent city councilman who has represented parts of West Ashley since 2016, is the first of any of the trailing four candidates to make a post-election endorsement ahead of the Nov. 21 runoff.
Asked which of Cogswell's policies he supports, Shahid pointed to Cogswell's plan for the abandoned Piggly Wiggly site in West Ashley, which is owned by the city and has been the subject of prolonged debate in City Hall. Cogswell has said he would want the city to collaborate with the private property owner who is redeveloping the adjacent Publix and Ashley Landing shopping center.
He added he is honored to have Shahid's backing.
"His eight years of service on the council for the people of Charleston have given him a deep understanding of the importance of good leadership," Cogswell said in a media statement. "We can all agree that John Tecklenburg's leadership has failed the people, and I am confident that with Peter's support, we will take back Charleston on November 21st and prioritize the needs of our residents."
Tecklenburg told The Post and Courier he is not surprised Shahid went with his opponent.
“Despite the fact that we were in kindergarten together, he became quite critical of yours truly," Tecklenburg said.
“I found it of note over the last few months that most everything that he bragged upon accomplishing were all things that happened under and with my administration,” the mayor continued, citing City Hall's work to improve policing and stormwater planning.
Cogswell, a former state representative and developer, finished first in the election count by notching 36 percent of vote, surpassing Tecklenburg by more than 1,200 votes. Tecklenburg drew 32 percent of the vote.
Because no candidate reached the 50 percent vote threshold, the race will go to a runoff.
Shahid said he based his decision on what he saw during the campaign.
"Getting to know William throughout this race has shown me that he is the leader our city needs," Shahid said in his endorsement.
The three other candidates who trailed at the polls Nov. 7 — local activist Mika Gadsden, political aide Clay Middleton and professor Debra Gammons — have so far not endorsed a candidate in the runoff.
That could change. Tecklenburg hinted that endorsements for him are forthcoming, but he declined to give details.
“We’ve got a few announcements ourselves,” he said. “Like I’ve said, we won’t get them all, but more to come on that.”
Early voting for the Nov. 21 runoff begins Nov. 15.
Emma Whalen contributed reporting.
