Democrat James Smith teams up with one of SC’s most popular mayors

State Rep. James Smith, D-Richland, picked up a key endorsement Tuesday from a prominent Charleston Democrat.

Former Charleston mayor Joe Riley, one of the longest-serving U.S. mayors, is backing Smith, an Afghanistan War combat veteran and one of two Democrats seeking his party’s nomination for governor.

Charleston Democrat Phil Noble also is running.

“James Smith has always put his community, state and country first,” Riley said in a statement. “He represents the kind of politics and policies that will advance our state for the better. From his service in Afghanistan to his tireless efforts in the (S.C.) Legislature to pass bi-partisan legislation that will improve our schools, infrastructure and economy, he is the leader our state needs.”

The endorsement is one of several Smith has secured heading into the June primary, where he is the odds-on favorite to win the nomination.

Smith has said he wants to put an end to divisive politics and unify South Carolinians, regardless of their politics or where they live in the state.

Riley is an effective messenger for that point, Smith said in a statement.

Riley played prominent roles in the push to remove the Confederate flag from the State House dome and led the Holy City through the aftermath of the 2015 massacre at “Mother” Emanuel AME Church.

The self-proclaimed underdog in the race, Noble has said the choice in the primary is between an outsider, himself, and Smith, who has been part of the state’s political establishment for 20 years, having first won a seat in the S.C. House in 1996.

This story was originally published December 12, 2017 at 12:03 PM with the headline "Democrat James Smith teams up with one of SC’s most popular mayors."