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Wendell Gilliard

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Wendell Gilliard
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 111th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2009
Personal details
Born (1954-07-01) July 1, 1954 (age 70)
Charleston, South Carolina
Political partyDemocratic
Children3
Residence(s)Charleston, South Carolina
Alma materDeVry University
Occupationsteelworker, union official

Wendell G. Gilliard (born July 1, 1954) is an American politician, steelworker, and union official. A Democrat, Gilliard serves as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing the 111th district.

Early life

Gilliard was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His father came from Marion, South Carolina, and worked at the Charleston Air Force Base. He has five siblings. Gilliard's mother died of an aneurysm when he was five years old.[1]

Gilliard grew up on the East Side of Charleston before moving to West Ashley at the age of seven.[1] He attended Burke High School and Rivers High School, graduating from Rivers in 1973. He then attended Bell and Howell School of Technology (now known as DeVry University).[1][2] He also attended the United Steelworkers of America program which was held on the campus of Tennessee State University.

Career

Gilliard left Bell and Howell after three years to work in a retail store owned by his brother. The store closed due to declining sales, and in 1981, Gilliard began to work as a plant operator for Mobil Chemical. He later worked for Rhodia.[1] In 1982, Gilliard was elected vice president of Local 863 of the United Steelworkers.[3] He later became its president.[4]

Gillard was elected a Charleston City Councilman in 1998.[2] In 1999, he sponsored non-binding legislation that labeled the Ku Klux Klan as a terrorist organization.[5] He was unopposed in his bid for a second term in 2002.[2] In 2003, Gilliard walked out of a city council meeting after Herb Silverman, an atheist, gave an invocation.[6] While serving as a city councilman, Gilliard levied a charge of unsafe working conditions against Rhodia, and was fired.[7] He also rallied against a porn shop and for modesty laws in Marion Square.[8]

In 2008, he ran for the South Carolina House of Representatives in the 111th district.[9][10] Gilliard contemplated running in the special election for South Carolina's 1st congressional district.[11]

In August 2023, Gilliard reacted to the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission's decision to remove "no concealable weapons allowed" signs from Charleston area parks, controversially stating, "[w]hether they circumvented the law or not, it was with good intentions, nothing is wrong with that." [12]

On March 13, 2023, Gilliard announced his intention to run for the South Carolina Senate District 42 seat, vacated by Marlon Kimpson after his appointment to a role in the Biden administration. The seat will be decided in a special election in 2023.[13] Endorsements that Gilliard received in his race for the Senate seat include Our Revolution, a group affiliated with US Senator Bernie Sanders, and Local 1442 of the International Longshoremen's Association.[14]

The Democratic Primary took place on September 5, and the special election will take place on November 7.[15] Other candidates in the race were Democrats SC Rep. JA Moore and SC Rep. Deon Tedder, and Republican Rosa Kay. In Democratic Primary unofficial results, Moore was bested by Gilliard and Tedder, who went on to a September 19 runoff.[16][17] Gilliard led the evening with close to 47% of the vote.[18]

On September 19, Tedder led the runoff by 11 votes, triggering a recount.[19] The recount was conducted and results certified by the Charleston County Board of Canvassers and the Dorchester County Voter Registration and Elections Office on September 21; later that day Tedder was declared the winner by the South Carolina State Election Commission.[20]

Personal life

Gilliard has three children, two sons and one daughter.[1][21] He is divorced.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e The Post and Courier - Google News Archive Search
  2. ^ a b c d The Post and Courier - Google News Archive Search
  3. ^ The News and Courier - Google News Archive Search
  4. ^ The News and Courier - Google News Archive Search
  5. ^ "JSOnline.com News Archives". Nl.newsbank.com. October 13, 1999. Retrieved January 15, 2013. (subscription required)
  6. ^ "Invocation By Atheist Prompts Walkout In Charleston Meeting". The Item. Associated Press. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  7. ^ The Post and Courier - Google News Archive Search
  8. ^ Conover, Dan (September 5, 2012). "In hindsight, maybe Wendell Gilliard was more than the 'bikini guy' | Features". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  9. ^ The Post and Courier - Google News Archive Search
  10. ^ The Post and Courier - Google News Archive Search
  11. ^ "Several names crowding field for Rep. Scott's open seat - WCIV-TV | ABC News 4 - Charleston News, Sports, Weather". ABC News 4. December 18, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  12. ^ https://www.live5news.com/2023/08/29/charleston-county-parks-removes-no-concealable-weapons-allowed-signs/
  13. ^ Sophie, Brams (March 13, 2023). "State Rep. Wendell Gilliard announces run for S.C. Senate seat". Counton2.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  14. ^ "State Representative Wendell Gilliard Receives Endorsement from Local 1442 of the International Longshoremen's Association". The Holy Sinner. August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  15. ^ "State Senate District 42 Special Election". South Carolina State Election Commission. June 21, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  16. ^ Kayanja, Ian (September 5, 2023). "SC Senate District 42 Democratic primary heads to run-off between Gilliard and Tedder". WCIV-TV. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  17. ^ Alexander Thompson, and Kenna Coe (September 5, 2023). "Gilliard, Tedder headed to runoff in Charleston-area state Senate primary". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  18. ^ "State Senate District 42 Primary Election Night Reporting". South Carolina State Election Commission. September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  19. ^ Renaud, Tim (September 19, 2023). "Deon Tedder leads SC Sen. District 42 runoff by 11 votes; recount likely". WCBD-TV. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  20. ^ Coe, Kenna (September 21, 2023). "Deon Tedder declared winner with 11-vote lead in Senate 42 Democratic primary runoff". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  21. ^ "Rep. Wendell G. Gilliard - South Carolina State House". South Carolina State House. South Carolina Legislative Services Agency. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
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