COLUMBIA, S.C. – Steve Benjamin, mayor of South Carolina’s capital city and one of the state’s highest-profile Democrats, will not seek a fourth term in office, telling The Associated Press he wants to focus now on his law practice and family.
But he is leaving the door open for a possible return to politics. “I’m a believer in seasons, and this is a new season for me,” Benjamin, 51, told AP on Wednesday, ahead of a formal announcement expected Thursday. “I feel like we've significantly made our city better; now, it's time to pass the baton.” Benjamin was elected in 2010 as Columbia's first Black mayor.
On his watch, he shepherded the city through the historic 2015 flood that killed 19 people, caused more than $1 billion in damage and put