SC

Two For Charleston Mayor

A pair of Holy City politicians are making calls in an effort to line up support for future mayoral bids, sources tell FITS. S.C. Rep. Leon Stavrinakis (D-Charleston) and city councilwoman Colleen Condon are both reportedly reaching out to potential supporters as the race to replace longtime mayor Joe Riley…

A pair of Holy City politicians are making calls in an effort to line up support for future mayoral bids, sources tell FITS.

S.C. Rep. Leon Stavrinakis (D-Charleston) and city councilwoman Colleen Condon are both reportedly reaching out to potential supporters as the race to replace longtime mayor Joe Riley begins to take shape.

Stavrinakis is a fourth-term lawmaker who captured a GOP district in 2006 – and has held the seat every since. He has previously flirted with bids for higher office – including governor.

Stavrinakis declined to comment on the reports, saying he was focused on his 2014 reelection campaign for the S.C. House of Representatives.

Condon is a fiscally liberal councilwoman first elected in 2005. Last year she was busted – but never held accountable – for failing to file several years worth of require financial disclosure information.

Oh … she also came out of the closet earlier this year after we published this report.

By the time he leaves office in January 2016, Riley will have served forty years as Charleston’s mayor – the seventh-longest tenure of any mayor in American history.

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46 comments

Short Stack August 16, 2013 at 10:45 pm

Leon is not qualified to be mayor. He doesn’t meet the height requirement.

Reply
Halfvast Conspirator August 17, 2013 at 10:52 am

Just think of all the boards and commissions and organizations he could appoint his brother to!

Reply
Short Stack August 16, 2013 at 10:45 pm

Leon is not qualified to be mayor. He doesn’t meet the height requirement.

Reply
Halfvast Conspirator August 17, 2013 at 10:52 am

Just think of all the boards and commissions and organizations he could appoint his brother to!

Reply
Polyphemos August 17, 2013 at 12:44 am

So Charleston, which has the largest upper middle class black, conservative population, per capita, in America, gets to choose from two nasty Liberal Democrats? There can’t be that many dumb people in Charleston.

Reply
Hugo's Future Offspring August 17, 2013 at 10:04 am

But there are Poly. They have been voting for little joe for the last 36 years.

Reply
Polyphemos August 17, 2013 at 7:24 pm

Well, you have me there. When I lived and worked in Charleston, Joe was one my better acquaintances. Although, I will say, he was always very closed – something he learned from his dad. I would be lying if I said I didn’t like him.

Reply
Sarah Palin Forever! August 17, 2013 at 10:18 am

Yeh,why not give them some intelligent good ol “conservative” Republican choices”

Lets start with House Speaker Bobby Harrell!.Ethical standards would,of course, be his strong point!

And who can forget everyones favorite “conservative” the Chipster Limehouse!William F. Buckley nver had anything on this boy when the brains were handed out,

Hell, maybe,Sanford can be talked into coming home and spreading some good ol Republican “family values” around!

Yep!Plenty of good choices for all you “principled conservatives” to choose from!

Happy pickins!

Reply
Polyphemos August 17, 2013 at 7:26 pm

You are a silly person. Your values are dictated by the size of your stomach and your nose belongs to your next of kin. Now, go away, or will taunt you a second time.

Reply
Sarah Palin Forever! August 17, 2013 at 7:48 pm

No you see a “silly” person is one who posted the sentence Gillon noted below.

Reply
Gillon August 17, 2013 at 11:51 am

“Charleston…has the largest middle class black, conservative population, per capita, in America.”. Where in the world did you come up with that statistic? That is as ridiculous as it is false.

Reply
Sarah Palin Forever! August 17, 2013 at 2:43 pm

Youre surprised?

“Conservatives” believe all sorts of weird things.Just make something up,say it or write it,and one creates ones own reality!

Reply
Polyphemos August 17, 2013 at 7:21 pm

Have you ever been to St Marks? Silly Rabbit!

Reply
Gillon August 18, 2013 at 2:01 pm

As a matter of fact, I was in Venice last summer. Didn’t see a lot of black folks, however. Mainly pigeons and Italians. Didn’t inquire if they were conservative.

Reply
Polyphemos August 18, 2013 at 2:04 pm

High marks for cleverness. No marks for relevancy. St. Marks in Charleston, plz…… mmm?

Slartibartfast August 17, 2013 at 12:44 am

So Charleston, which has the largest upper middle class black, conservative population, per capita, in America, gets to choose from two nasty Liberal Democrats? There can’t be that many dumb people in Charleston.

Reply
Hugo's Future Offspring August 17, 2013 at 10:04 am

But there are Poly. They have been voting for little joe for the last 36 years.

Reply
Slartibartfast August 17, 2013 at 7:24 pm

Well, you have me there. When I lived and worked in Charleston, Joe was one my better acquaintances. Although, I will say, he was always very closed – something he learned from his dad. I would be lying if I said I didn’t like him.

Reply
Sarah Palin Forever! August 17, 2013 at 10:18 am

Yeh,why not give them some intelligent good ol “conservative” Republican choices”

Lets start with House Speaker Bobby Harrell!.Ethical standards would,of course, be his strong point!

And who can forget everyones favorite “conservative” the Chipster Limehouse!William F. Buckley nver had anything on this boy when the brains were handed out,

Hell, maybe,Sanford can be talked into coming home and spreading some good ol Republican “family values” around!

Yep!Plenty of good choices for all you “principled conservatives” to choose from!

Happy pickins!

Reply
Slartibartfast August 17, 2013 at 7:26 pm

You are a silly person. Your values are dictated by the size of your stomach and your nose belongs to your next of kin. Now, go away, or will taunt you a second time.

Reply
Sarah Palin Forever! August 17, 2013 at 7:48 pm

No you see a “silly” person is one who posted the sentence Gillon noted below.

Reply
Gillon August 17, 2013 at 11:51 am

“Charleston…has the largest middle class black, conservative population, per capita, in America.”. Where in the world did you come up with that statistic? That is as ridiculous as it is false.

Reply
Sarah Palin Forever! August 17, 2013 at 2:43 pm

Youre surprised?

“Conservatives” believe all sorts of weird things.Just make something up,say it or write it,and one creates ones own reality!

Reply
Slartibartfast August 17, 2013 at 7:21 pm

Have you ever been to St Marks? Silly Rabbit!

Reply
Gillon August 18, 2013 at 2:01 pm

As a matter of fact, I was in Venice last summer. Didn’t see a lot of black folks, however. Mainly pigeons and Italians. Didn’t inquire if they were conservative.

Reply
Slartibartfast August 18, 2013 at 2:04 pm

High marks for cleverness. No marks for relevancy. St. Marks in Charleston, plz…… mmm?

lawzoo August 17, 2013 at 12:27 pm

Don’t go Joe !

Reply
lawzoo August 17, 2013 at 12:27 pm

Don’t go Joe !

Reply
themudmarshall@bellsouth.net August 17, 2013 at 1:03 pm

Ms. Condon is actually on Charleston COUNTY Council. Downtown City Councilamn Mike Seekings has been up and running for Mayor for almost a year.

Reply
themudmarshall@bellsouth.net August 17, 2013 at 1:03 pm

Ms. Condon is actually on Charleston COUNTY Council. Downtown City Councilamn Mike Seekings has been up and running for Mayor for almost a year.

Reply
Shrump 'n grits August 17, 2013 at 1:37 pm

I can see them alongside one another — Leon the short and Colleen the short and wide.

So funny.

Reply
Shrump 'n grits August 17, 2013 at 1:37 pm

I can see them alongside one another — Leon the short and Colleen the short and wide.

So funny.

Reply
Ralph Hightower August 17, 2013 at 3:50 pm

Is Mayor Bob moving to Chucktown?

Reply
Dan August 17, 2013 at 6:49 pm

Is he taking his BFF Jean Toal with him?

Reply
Ralph Hightower August 17, 2013 at 3:50 pm

Is Mayor Bob moving to Chucktown?

Reply
Dan August 17, 2013 at 6:49 pm

Is he taking his BFF Jean Toal with him?

Reply
Opponent of Stavrinakis & Co. August 17, 2013 at 8:11 pm

When Stavrinakis ran for City Council, he got strong support from Mayor Joe Riley.

These days many Charleston voters dislike or are tired of Riley for running up huge bills including the $110 million makeover of the Gailliard Auditorium which is an asset mostly to uppity tourists and Spoleto-goers. So a Joe Riley endorsement these days cuts both ways and a candidate would seek it at his or her own peril.

Stavrinakis’ latest self-serving political stunt — putting his brother on the MUSC board of directors, and shoving aside the more-qualified Susan Pearlstein — will come back to haunt him.

Black and white folks — and Democrats and Republicans — all dislike croneyism.

The mayoral election is nonpartisan.

Stavrinakis has “CORRUPTION” stamped on his little (short) forehead.

Many of his would-be supporters will avoid him.

People will still pretend to like him at Manny’s, though.

Reply
Opponent of Stavrinakis & Co. August 17, 2013 at 8:11 pm

When Stavrinakis ran for City Council, he got strong support from Mayor Joe Riley.

These days many Charleston voters dislike or are tired of Riley for running up huge bills including the $110 million makeover of the Gailliard Auditorium which is an asset mostly to uppity tourists and Spoleto-goers. So a Joe Riley endorsement these days cuts both ways and a candidate would seek it at his or her own peril.

Stavrinakis’ latest self-serving political stunt — putting his brother on the MUSC board of directors, and shoving aside the more-qualified Susan Pearlstein — will come back to haunt him.

Black and white folks — and Democrats and Republicans — all dislike croneyism.

The mayoral election is nonpartisan.

Stavrinakis has “CORRUPTION” stamped on his little (short) forehead.

Many of his would-be supporters will avoid him.

People will still pretend to like him at Manny’s, though.

Reply
Mark J August 17, 2013 at 8:54 pm

Leon is a snake in the grass. Typical lawyer who uses lying by omission to accomplish his tasks. Just as Lee Edwards who ran against him in the 114 race last year. Don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.

Reply
Mark J August 17, 2013 at 8:54 pm

Leon is a snake in the grass. Typical lawyer who uses lying by omission to accomplish his tasks. Just as Lee Edwards who ran against him in the 114 race last year. Don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.

Reply
GoWest August 18, 2013 at 12:46 pm

No question, City Councilman Mike Seekings is in this race, and likely to be a compromise candidate.

Condon is the darling of the SCCCL, and other ‘liberal’ groups, which tend to be politically hypocritical. Charges of cronyism will hurt Leon, but the late C of C political science professor Dr. William Moore predicted that a West Ashley lawmaker would be Riley’s successor — Stavrinakis is a WA man, through and through. The neglect of West Ashley has been a sore point in the Riley Administration..

Charleston needs a progressive Mayor — local residents should receive first priority. The incoming Mayor should promote real economic development (white collar employment, light manufacturing, and technology industries) and puts a cap on the growth of the hospitality industry, as downtown Charleston is drowning in new hotel rooms.

Reply
Mazyck August 18, 2013 at 5:59 pm

Interesting points, Bill Moody … I mean GoWest. They read like your recent “West of” interview with the economic development slant. I believe anyone willing to put the brakes on the out-of-control minimum-wage tourist industry monster Riley has created will get attention. And in that, Stavrinakis being from West Ashley would be interesting, but only briefly. Then would come up Stavrinakis’ good ‘ole boy, self-serving legislative behavior, which he can no easier avoid than his shadow. The creep is likely to put insiders on the city’s many, many, many commissions. Riley has been doing that for four decades, and playing City Council like a violin. We’re sick of Riley and sick (already) of Stavrinakis. Please open the window, let in the fresh air, let out the fetid air.

Reply
GoWest August 18, 2013 at 12:46 pm

No question, City Councilman Mike Seekings is in this race, and likely to be a compromise candidate.

Condon is the darling of the SCCCL, and other ‘liberal’ groups, which tend to be politically hypocritical. Charges of cronyism will hurt Leon, but the late C of C political science professor Dr. William Moore predicted that a West Ashley lawmaker would be Riley’s successor — Stavrinakis is a WA man, through and through. The neglect of West Ashley has been a sore point in the Riley Administration..

Charleston needs a progressive Mayor — local residents should receive first priority. The incoming Mayor should promote real economic development (white collar employment, light manufacturing, and technology industries) and puts a cap on the growth of the hospitality industry, as downtown Charleston is drowning in new hotel rooms.

Reply
Mazyck August 18, 2013 at 5:59 pm

Interesting points, Bill Moody … I mean GoWest. They read like your recent “West of” interview with the economic development slant. I believe anyone willing to put the brakes on the out-of-control minimum-wage tourist industry monster Riley has created will get attention. And in that, Stavrinakis being from West Ashley would be interesting, but only briefly. Then would come up Stavrinakis’ good ‘ole boy, self-serving legislative behavior, which he can no easier avoid than his shadow. The creep is likely to put insiders on the city’s many, many, many commissions. Riley has been doing that for four decades, and playing City Council like a violin. We’re sick of Riley and sick (already) of Stavrinakis. Please open the window, let in the fresh air, let out the fetid air.

Reply
Ernie August 18, 2013 at 3:03 pm

It’s 2 1/2 years away, give it a rest.

Reply
Ernie August 18, 2013 at 3:03 pm

It’s 2 1/2 years away, give it a rest.

Reply

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