Attorney Tyler Bailey strongly weighing an at-large Columbia City Council run
The burgeoning field for an at-large seat on Columbia City Council looks as if it is going to get a bit more crowded.
Tyler Bailey, a Columbia attorney, told The State he is “strongly, strongly considering” running for the at-large seat in the November municipal election. A formal announcement regarding his candidacy could come as soon as March.
The seat Bailey has his eyes on is currently held by longtime Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine. However, she has announced she will run for mayor this year, creating a clear pathway for other at-large candidates for that seat for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Businesswoman Heather Bauer and public health official Dr. Aditi Bussells have announced they plan to run for the at-large post. Unlike district races, at-large seats are elected citywide in Columbia.
Bailey, 31, grew up in Columbia and is a resident of the Elmwood Park neighborhood. He said he cares deeply about the community.
“I’m considering running because I feel like Columbia hasn’t realized its full potential,” Bailey said. “I’ve served in a lot of different capacities, mainly fighting for people as an attorney. But I believe there needs to be a new perspective on City Council to really help Columbia be the city that I believe it can be.
“We have too many young, talented people who are from here who have left. We are not retaining our talent and developing our talent like we could be.”
Bailey, who runs Columbia’s Bailey Law Firm, has a degree in business management from Hampton University and a law degree from the Southern University Law Center.
The potential at-large candidate said, if he were to run and get elected, he would work to raise the profile of Columbia, which has seen incremental economic and population growth compared to other fast-growing large metros in South Carolina, like Greenville and Charleston.
“There is no reason why Columbia should be playing third fiddle to Greenville and Charleston,” Bailey said. “A lot of times, when people think about South Carolina, they think about Greenville and they think about Charleston. I think, as the Capital City, we are a unique city and we have a lot of talent that comes through our city, and I think we should be a top city in the state with tourism and things of that nature.”
Bailey said he is troubled by inequities in the city, such as large swaths of Columbia that have food insecurities and poor nearby access to grocery stores. He said he’d like to help close the gap on some of those issues.
“That would be a top priority of mine, to make Columbia a city that works for everybody, regardless of zip code,” said Bailey, whose parents, Herbert and Marcia Bailey, are senior pastors at Right Direction Church International on Broad River Road.
The attorney said he’d embrace the prospect of a citywide race, rather than a district contest.
“I would feel very comfortable campaigning across this city,” Bailey said. “Because I’m from here, I think I have a unique perspective of the entire city. I have friends in all areas, from Shandon to Broad River Road to down toward Leesburg Road. ... I actually think I’m better fit for a citywide seat, because of my perspective from growing up here.”
The City of Columbia election is Nov. 2, with Nov. 16 runoffs, if necessary. Filing will likely open in August. Posts up for election this year include an at-large seat, mayor, District 1 and District 4.
