Summerville, S.C. — In a surprising turn of events, Summerville's current Mayor, Ricky Waring, announced a significant change in his endorsement for the upcoming mayoral race. Mayor Waring, who did not seek re-election, had initially endorsed Dickie Miler for the role. However, he has now thrown his support behind Russ Touchberry in a move that has garnered attention throughout the town.
Pictured: Summerville Mayor Ricky Waring (right) and Mayoral Candidate Dickie Miler at a kickoff event for Miler in Nov 2022.
While it's unclear from his statement why he decided to make the change in endorsement, his decision to switch his endorsement from Miler to Touchberry adds another layer of intrigue to an already dynamic mayoral race. Mayor Waring's quote was released today:
"I have been honored to serve Summerville for the last 50 years. I will be voting for Russ Touchberry because I have seen his service and committment to our Town firsthand. I trust him to lead our Town toward a brighter future. Please join me in voting for Russ Touchberry for Mayor."
Russ Touchberry, a current Summerville Town Councilman expressed his gratitude for Mayor Waring's endorsement: "I am thankful our town has people who love it and have served it as faithfully as Mayor Ricky Waring. His dedication to this town has been unmatched.
While he didn't always support my campaign, I am grateful he is a man that continues to evaluate what he thinks is best for the town and has decided to support our campaign."
Mayor Waring's decision to change his endorsement marks a notable shift in the mayoral race dynamics. Summerville has seen a pattern of single-term mayors in recent years, with Mayor Waring being the third in a row. With the support of an experienced figure like Mayor Waring, Russ Touchberry hopes to secure the confidence of Summerville residents.
The upcoming election for Mayor is on November 7th, 2023 and the last day to register to vote to participate is Oct 6th.