Presidential campaign raises SC mayor's national profile
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Mayor Steve Benjamin stood with former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke before a packed University of South Carolina campus in March. The next day, Benjamin was on a downtown Columbia stage with South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and, hours later, introduced New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker for an economic inequality forum. More recently, he welcomed former Vice President Joe Biden for the first South Carolina visit of his 2020 campaign. As mayor of South Carolina's capital city, Columbia, Benjamin is becoming a popular — and influential — figure in the Democratic presidential primary. As candidates bulk up their travel to the state that hosts the first southern primary, Benjamin says he's met with or spoken to nearly every declared presidential candidate — no small feat in a field that spans two dozen contenders. "I have made myself available to any candidate who wants to talk to me," Benjamin told The Associated Press. "I use it as an opportunity to discuss with the candidates the issues that are important, help them understand our culture." As president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and one of the most high-profile black politicians in South Carolina, Benjamin is becoming not only one of the state's most sought-after endorsements but also a name mentioned for a potential slot in a Democratic administration. In elected politics for nearly a decade, the 49-year-old lawyer became the first black mayor in Columbia's history in 2010 and easily won two more terms. He spoke during the first night of the 2016 Democratic National Convention and was considered for Hillary Clinton's running mate, according to campaign chairman John Podesta's hacked emails released by WikiLeaks in late 2016. As the two dozen Democratic hopefuls wind their way through South Carolina, Benjamin said he's happy to help...
