The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee (PAC) is pleased to announce its’ first slate of candidates that will be endorsed or considered qualified for the upcoming November 7 general election. The candidates below have been vetted through the PAC interview process, which includes written questionnaire responses and an interview with one of the PAC interview teams. All filed candidates were invited to participate. In each case, the endorsed candidates sought the PAC endorsement and participated in the selection process.
Endorsed candidates have strong alignment with the Chamber’s key policy priorities and strong vision for the future of their county. Each candidate below was selected based on their capability to support the business community and advance our region.
City of Charleston Endorsements
District 1: Boyd Gregg
Boyd Gregg was first elected in January 2022 to serve as Councilmember for District 1 and is currently running for re-election. Boyd holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clemson University and an M.S. in Civil Engineering and Applied Fluid Mechanics, also from Clemson University.
District 3: Stephanie Hodges
Stephanie Hodges, who is currently running for District 3, is a public health professional and business owner. Stephanie has experience working with stakeholders in policy-development. She also has experience as a community organizer and advocate on Johns Island.
District 5: Karl Brady, Jr.
Karl L. Brady, Jr. is currently running for re-election for District 5, representing Outer West Ashley and Johns Island. Karl holds a BA in History and Political Science from Wake Forest University. He has experience serving on the City’s West Ashley Revitalization Committee and the BCDCOG Area Transportation Study Committee.
District 7: Keith Waring
Keith Waring is currently running for re-election in District 7 and was first elected to the office in 2012. Keith has experience as a finance professional, as well as having served on numerous professional and non-profit boards in the Lowcountry.
District 11: Ross Appel
Ross Appel was first elected to represent District 11 in 2019 and is currently running for re-election. Prior to his election to City Council, Ross served on the City of Charleston’s Board of Zoning Appeals – Zoning. He is a lawyer who specializes in land-use and real estate law. Ross also has experience serving on numerous non-profit committees in the Charleston-area.
Mayor: John J. Tecklenburg
Mayor Tecklenburg is currently running for his third term as mayor of the City of Charleston. A former commercial real estate professional, businessman, and economic development director for the City of Charleston, Mr. Tecklenburg has experience working with the business community. Many of his efforts as mayor have included increasing housing attainability, water management and supporting small and minority-owned businesses.
Qualified
Candidates who are deemed qualified, display the necessary characteristics to serve on council, but may not align 100% with the Chamber on our key policy priorities.
| District 9: Kenneth Marolda Kenneth Marolda is a West Ashley resident and property manager. Kenneth earned a Masters degree in Community Planning, Policy, and Design at the College of Charleston. He currently sits on the West Ashley Revitalization Committee, and has experience as a community organizer and non-profit co-founder. District 9: William Tinkler William Tinkler is an attorney with his own law firm in the Charleston-area. He is longtime resident of West Ashley. |
| Political decisions can have long-term impacts on businesses. Being involved in political races allows businesses to help shape policies that provide a stable and predictable operating environment. The Chamber PAC is proud to demonstrate its support for these candidates in the respective races. Please take the time to review these candidates so that you can be well informed before election day. For more information on voting in Charleston County visit vote.charlestoncounty.org/ and for more information on voting in Berkeley County visit berkeleycountysc.gov/dept/elections/. |
