SC’s Sam Johnson, who finished third in Columbia mayor race, makes runoff endorsement
Sam Johnson, who finished third in Columbia’s mayoral race to succeed Mayor Steve Benjamin, has endorsed at-large City Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine.
“Councilwoman Devine has been a leader here in Columbia for 20 years. She has served as mayor pro tem. She has a track record of bringing ideas like homeless courts to fruition to better our community,” Johnson said in a late Saturday statement posted to Twitter.
“With her experience and extensive tenure, it is my hope that she will be the conscientious, principled mayor that our city deserves.”
Devine faces District 4 Councilman Daniel Rickenmann in the runoff for mayor Nov. 16.
Rickenmann finished first with nearly 44% of the vote in the Nov. 2 mayoral election. Devine finished second with 30% of the vote. Both candidates will face off in a runoff because neither received more than 50% of the vote.
Benjamin, who supported Johnson’s candidacy, endorsed Devine last week.
“As we enter the next phase of this mayoral race, it is vitally important to me to ensure that our city chooses the leader who is the most qualified, most experienced and the clear choice to move Columbia forward and that is Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine,” Benjamin said.
“I enthusiastically support her candidacy,” Benjamin said.
Reporter Chris Trainor contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 6, 2021 at 7:06 PM.
