COLUMBIA, S.C. — On November 2, Columbia, South Carolina's City Council will see one of the largest turnovers in recent history. Mayor Steve Benjamin is not seeking re-election and Councilman Sam Davis announced his retirement earlier this year. Council At-Large member Tameika Isaac Devine and District 4 Councilman Daniel Rickenmann are giving up their seats in order to run for Mayor.
Seven candidates have filed to replace Devine.
City Council At-Large
Currently held by Tameika Isaac Devine
Tyler Bailey: Columbia Attorney Tyler Bailey has officially announced his candidacy for Columbia City Council At-Large. “Although Columbia has seen encouraging signs of growth, far too many of our neighborhoods have been left behind by lack of opportunity, poor infrastructure, lack of investment, lack of affordable housing, and disappearing grocery stores that make living and raising a family tough,” says Bailey www.TylerForColumbia.com
Heather Bauer is a small business owner and information technology project manager who attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania on a volleyball scholarship and earned a master’s degree in media arts at the University of South Carolina. She owns Workhorse Fitness. Voteheatherbauer.com
Aditi Srivastav Bussells is a public health researcher with Children’s Trust who received her PhD in public health at the University of South Carolina. She believes that everyone, “regardless of their zip code, deserves to have equal opportunities to thrive.” She is married to Louis Bussells. www.aditiforthecity.com
John Crangle is a Columbia attorney, open government watchdog, former leader of Common Cause, and current lobbyist for SC Progressive Network who first ran for political office in 2018 – losing to Kirkman Finley for SC House District 75. In an interview with The State newspaper, Crangle said he is concerned about crime and would work to curb gun violence, advocate for curfews at bars in the city and raise salaries for Columbia Police officers. He is the author of Operation Lost Trust and the Ethics Reform Movement, an in-depth look at the FBI sting of the SC General Assembly during the 1990s that uncovered public corruption in state government.
Deitra Stover Matthews is the Government Relations Manager for Conservation Voters of South Carolina and has worked and advocated in the space of environmental policy for more than a decade. For information about the campaign and Deitra’s candidacy, visit DeitraforColumbia.com.
Aaron D. Smalls is a professional photographer seeking office for the first time. In an interview with The State newspaper, Smalls said he would focus on improving relationships between the police and the community through trust and transparency, enhancing utilities, and improving funding for Columbia’s arts community.
John Tyler is an activist with One Common Cause Community Control Initiative. Tyler also works for Lizard’s Thicket and is an administrative coordinator at a cosmetology school. The first-time candidate told The Post and Courier that he would help reinvest in low-income areas of the city and invest in more training for Columbia Police officers and work with school officials to address mental health and counseling resources.
