Term No. 10? Why Not, a Mayor Asks (Joseph Riley, D-Charleston, SC)

[alp227]

CHARLESTON, S.C. — This is a town that cherishes tradition.

The first buildings went up in 1670. The opening shots of the Civil War were fired here. It had a community-based historic preservation organization before any other American city.

So it seems hard to imagine that on Tuesday voters would deny Joseph P. Riley Jr., 68, a 10th term as mayor.

He has already been in office 36 years. As far as people who keep track of these things can tell, that is longer than any other sitting city mayor in the country. It is certainly longer than some of the people who plan to vote for him have been alive.

(...)

Mr. Riley, who makes $162,816 a year, is taking criticism for his relationship with the state port authority and the cruise ship industry over how many new vessels will be allowed to disgorge tourists into the historic city.

There is discussion in the local news media of “Riley fatigue.” Citizens for a Better Charleston, a group using new campaign laws to remain anonymous, has been campaigning aggressively against him. And the number of votes Mr. Riley has received has been steadily dropping since 1995, figures that are being used by his opponents to show a decline in support but could also indicate that voters simply do not show up to vote because Mr. Riley’s victories have seemed inevitable.

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/us/joseph-p-riley-jr-mayor-of-charleston-sc-seeking-10th-term.html