CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former South Carolina U.S. Representative and state senator Arthur Ravenel Jr., whose name resides on the large bridge in Charleston, has died. He was 95 years old.
Ravenel's son, Thomas Ravenel, made a post on Twitter that simple said "Rest in Peace Dad" and showed the senior Ravenel walking with his family.
Ravenel was born in Charleston in 1927 and over the course of his career became synonymous with Lowcountry politics and business. After serving in the Marine corps and then getting a degree from the College of Charleston, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1953 and stayed there for five years.
In 1960 he switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. He ran run unsuccessfully for several political offices in the 1960s and early 70s.
In 1981, he found his way back into political life with a win to a state senate seat from Charleston. In 1987, he won election to the U.S. Congress representing the First Congressional District.
In 1994, he tried unsuccessfully to seek the GOP nomination for governor against David Beasley, who'd go on to win the governor's mansion.
While in Congress, he got behind the push to replace the worn out bridge that crossed the Cooper River in Charleston. The bridge had been deemed unsafe by inspectors. He'd carry that fight back with him when he returned to the state senate in 1997 after leaving Congress in 1995.
After a two-decade battle that included other state and federal leaders, funding was secured for the bridge. His fellow lawmakers decided to name the bridge in his honor. Opening in 2005, it spans 1,546 feet and is the third longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere.
In his private life he worked in real estate and contracting.
Ravenel did make one last political push, when he was elected to the Charleston County School Board in 2006.
His son, Thomas, followed him into politics by running for the U.S. Senate in 2004, eventually losing in the GOP primary. In 2006, he was elected as state treasurer, but resigned months later after being indicted on federal drug charges. He ran as an independent candidate for governor in 2014, finishing third.
He'd later be known for his appearances on the reality TV series "Southern Charm," a show profiling well known families in Charleston.