Daniel Rickenmann

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Daniel Rickenmann (cropped).png

| office = 71st Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina

| term_start = January 4, 2022

| term_end =

| predecessor = Stephen K. Benjamin

| successor =

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|51|2021|9|21}}

| birth_place = Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Republican

| spouse = Laura Rickenmann

| children = 2

| education = University of South Carolina (BA)

}}

Daniel Rickenmann (born 1969/1970){{cite web |url=https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article251979918.html |title=Columbia's Rickenmann Makes His Pitch to Local Republicans |date=September 9, 2021 |accessdate=August 5, 2022 |work=The State}} is an American businessman and politician, serving as the 71st Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina.

Early life and education

Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Rickenmann is the son of immigrants from Switzerland. He attended the University of South Carolina in 1987.{{cite web |last1=Clay |first1=Margaret |title=New Leadership Sitting down with Mayor Daniel Rickenmann |url=https://columbiametro.com/article/new-leadership/ |website=Columbia Metropolitan |access-date=14 May 2022}}

Political career

= 2025 Mayoral election =

In March 2025, Mayor Rickenmann announced his bid for re-election.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-03-07 |title=Columbia mayor Daniel Rickenmann launches re-election campaign |url=https://www.wistv.com/2025/03/07/columbia-mayor-daniel-rickenmann-launches-re-election-campaign/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=WIS-TV |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kesler |first=Alex |date=2025-03-10 |title=Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann launches reelection campaign |url=https://wach.com/news/local/columbia-mayor-daniel-rickenmann-launches-reelection-campaign |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=WACH |language=en}}

= 2021 Mayoral election =

After confirmation on February 2021 that incumbent Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin would not seek re-election,{{Cite web |last=Olson |first=Mike |date=2021-02-04 |title=Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin announces he will not seek re-election |url=https://www.abccolumbia.com/2021/02/04/columbia-mayor-steve-benjamin-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=ABC Columbia |language=en-US}} Rickenmann announced his bid for the office.{{Cite news |last=Trainor |first=Chris |date=April 28, 2021 |title=Rickenmann formally launches campaign for Columbia mayor, talks tax reform |url=https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article251008919.html |access-date=December 26, 2024 |work=The State Newspaper}} Other candidates were At-Large Columbia City Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine, attorney Sam Johnson, and former Columbia City Councilman Moe Baddourah.{{Cite news |last=Trainor |first=Chris |date=August 13, 2021 |title=Who’s running for mayor of Columbia? Meet the four hopefuls looking for your vote |url=https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article253438094.html |access-date=December 26, 2024 |work=The State Newspaper}} On November 16, 2021, Rickenmann won the runoff election against Isaac Devine with 52% to 48% of the vote.{{cite web |title=Final results in for Columbia mayor, Columbia Council at-Larg |url=https://www.wltx.com/article/news/politics/columbia-mayor-runoff-election-results/101-cb01e744-7e26-4af6-acb2-d485a9b8f16f |website=WLTX News 19 |access-date=14 May 2022}} He was sworn in as mayor of Columbia on January 4, 2022.{{cite web |title=Daniel Rickenmann sworn in as new mayor of Columbia |url=https://account.thestate.com/paywall/stop?resume=257033942 |website=The State |access-date=14 May 2022}}

File:U S mayors visit deployed Airmen (8768975).jpg

Rickenmann ranked Number 2 in the Post and Courier Columbia Power List 2023 {{Cite news |date=August 2, 2023 |title=Power List 2023: USC still dominant in Columbia |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/news/power-list-2023-usc-still-dominant-in-columbia/article_c2dfd132-2d82-11ee-82ac-5f9acbc4d48d.html |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=The Post and Courier}} and 2024.{{Cite web |last=staff |first=Post and Courier Columbia |date=2024-12-18 |title=Here's who made The Post and Courier's 2024 Power List for Columbia |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/news/who-made-post-and-courier-columbia-power-list/article_ae708ed2-bcbd-11ef-a40a-6fe9d0511bc5.html |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Post and Courier |language=en}}

While candidates for the office of mayor in Columbia, South Carolina are officially non-partisan, Rickenmann is a Republican. Conversely, his opponent in the 2021 election, Tameika Isaac Devine, is a Democrat. Devine was endorsed by former U.S. president Barack Obama and House Whip Jim Clyburn. Previously, Columbia has historically voted for Democratic candidates, including Joe Biden for U.S. president by nearly 40 points. Its two previous mayors, Bob Coble and Steve Benjamin were Democrats.{{Cite news |date=October 20, 2003 |title=Columbia Mayor Bob Coble drops out of Senate race |url=https://www.wistv.com/story/1489406/columbia-mayor-bob-coble-drops-out-of-senate-race/ |access-date=March 2, 2024 |work=WIS-TV}}{{Cite news |last=GAYNOR |first=GERREN KEITH |date=May 13, 2023 |title=Meet Stephen Benjamin, the most senior Black man in the White House |url=https://thegrio.com/2023/05/13/stephen-benjamin-talks-white-house-role/ |access-date=March 2, 2024 |work=The Grio}}{{cite web |last1=Fastenau |first1=Stephen |title=As Republicans laud Rickenmann's Columbia mayor win, many downplay impact on city politics |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/politics/as-republicans-laud-rickenmanns-columbia-mayor-win-many-downplay-impact-on-city-politics/article_d662b540-47e1-11ec-a4b1-a33fb3c19917.html |website=The Post and Courier Columbia |publisher=The Post and Courier |access-date=14 May 2022}}

= City council election =

In 2004, Rickenmann was elected as an At-Large representative for Columbia City Council. He held the position until 2013 when he chose not to run for reelection. He ran again for city council in 2017, winning the election as a representative from Columbia's fourth district.{{cite web |last1=Lomis |first1=Connor |title=Daniel Rickenmann elected Columbia's next mayor |url=https://www.wistv.com/2021/11/17/daniel-rickenmann-projected-columbia-mayor-elect/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |website=WISTV}}

File:Joe Biden in the Oval Office with newly-elected mayors FGq2Q3EXwAQiJZ9.jpg with other newly-elected mayors, 2023.|279x279px]]

= Endorsements =

In June 2023, Rickenmann endorsed Tim Scott in the 2024 United States presidential election.{{Cite news |last=Kinnard |first=Meg |date=June 12, 2023 |title=Dozens of South Carolina leaders endorse Tim Scott's presidential bid |url=https://www.wltx.com/article/news/politics/national-politics/south-carolina-endorsments-presidential-bid-tim-scott/101-8ffc71fc-3d66-4c61-aef7-9f67f6a6a444 |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=WLTX-TV}}{{Cite news |date=June 12, 2023 |title=Sen. Tim Scott in Spartanburg to announce campaign endorsements |url=https://www.foxcarolina.com/2023/06/12/live-sen-tim-scott-spartanburg-announce-campaign-endorsements/ |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=FOX Carolina}}

Electoral history

class="wikitable"
colspan="4" \|Runoff election for Mayor of Columbia, 2021{{efn\|Rickenmann and Devine went to a runoff election since no candidate won more than 50% of the vote in the initial election.}}{{cite web \|title=2021 Municipal Election Day - Runoff Election Night Reporting \|url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/111639/Web02-state.284278/#/?undefined \|website=SC Votes \|publisher=State of South Carolina}}
Candidate !Votes !%
Daniel Rickenmann \|10,606 \|52
Tameika Isaac Devine \|9,789 \|48
Total \|20,395 \|100%

class="wikitable"

colspan="4" |Runoff election for Mayor of Columbia, 2021{{efn|Rickenmann and Devine went to a runoff election since no candidate won more than 50% of the vote in the initial election.}}{{cite web |title=2021 Municipal Election Day - Runoff Election Night Reporting |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/111639/Web02-state.284278/#/?undefined |website=SC Votes |publisher=State of South Carolina}}

Candidate

!Votes

Daniel Rickenmann

|10,606

|52

Tameika Isaac Devine

|9,789

|48

Total

|20,395

|100%

class="wikitable"
colspan="4" \|Election for Mayor of Columbia, 2021{{cite web \|title=2021 Municipal Election Day Election Night Reporting \|url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/111125/Web02-state.284278/#/p/all/vt/ALL/pr/Richland?undefined \|website=SC Votes \|publisher=State of South Carolina \|access-date=14 May 2022}}
Candidate !Votes !%
Daniel Rickenmann \|8,417 \|43.51
Tameika Isaac Devine \|5,846 \|30.22
Sam Johnson \|4,710 \|24.35
Moe Baddourah \|364 \|1.88
Write-in \|9 \|0.05
Total \|19,346 \|100%

class="wikitable"

colspan="4" |Election for Mayor of Columbia, 2021{{cite web |title=2021 Municipal Election Day Election Night Reporting |url=https://www.enr-scvotes.org/SC/111125/Web02-state.284278/#/p/all/vt/ALL/pr/Richland?undefined |website=SC Votes |publisher=State of South Carolina |access-date=14 May 2022}}

Candidate

!Votes

Daniel Rickenmann

|8,417

|43.51

Tameika Isaac Devine

|5,846

|30.22

Sam Johnson

|4,710

|24.35

Moe Baddourah

|364

|1.88

Write-in

|0.05

Total

|19,346

|100%

Notes

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y786RSNUf8I Rickenmann announces bid for Mayor, April 28, 2021] on WLTX-TV
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFHg4WZHyRw Mayor's Inauguration and Swearing In Ceremony, January 4, 2022] from City of Columbia, South Carolina
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikz1hXnyDCY Fireside Chat with Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, May 11, 2023] from Bipartisan Policy Center
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB8MHzpmsTs Mayor Rickenmann and Congressman Jim Clyburn greet President Joe Biden, arriving on Air Force One in Lexington County, SC, July 6, 2023] on WLTX
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRfgLBpUteo Mayor Rickenmann and Congressman Jim Clyburn greet President Joe Biden, visiting West Columbia to highlight new manufacturing partnership in Lexington County, SC, July 6, 2023] on WIS (TV)