Columbia, South Carolina

Aiken City Council unanimously approved a resolution asking the South Carolina Supreme Court to authorize a homeless court for the city. The next step is a Dec. 3 presentation to the state's Access to Justice Commission, which will recommend whether the chief justice should sign an order creating the court. Similar courts already operate in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Rock Hill, Myrtle Beach and Gaffney, handling non-violent misdemeanor cases for unsheltered residents through service-based alternative sentencing rather than traditional prosecution.

City officials, including the city manager, solicitor and public safety director, back the plan, which is projected to cost $50,000 to $60,000 annually; $30,000 has already been budgeted. If approved, the court would launch in 2027 amid a growing local unsheltered population.

South Carolina schools Superintendent Ellen Weaver is running for reelection, facing Democrat Sylvia Wright in a race that is competitive in fundraising but has favored Republicans since 2011. Weaver touts gains in reading and math, a push for school safety, and expanded career pathways, while defending the state's three-year-old voucher program that provides over $7,600 per student for private school or homeschool expenses. Critics, including Wright, say the program lacks accountability and mostly benefits families who could already afford private schooling; a recent cyberattack froze vendor payments. Weaver's tenure has also drawn controversy over book bans, cutting AP African American Studies, and aligning with conservative groups like PragerU amid broader public-school enrollment decline.

Liberty Hill, North Charleston's oldest surviving community and a historic Black neighborhood founded in 1871, will appear before the S.C. State Board of Review on Nov. 20 as it seeks designation as a national historic district, with final approval resting on the National Park Service. The community, built by four men on 112 acres along East Montague Avenue, declined after the nearby Navy Base closed in 1996 and now faces development pressure from surrounding growth.

Alongside the federal nomination, the city has announced streetscape upgrades—improved medians, lighting, crosswalks and historic signage—funded partly through a $2.5 million council district allocation, plus plans for a future Neighborhood Conservation District to limit development size and preserve the area's character.

Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock drew on his history as senior pastor of Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church during an Oct. 13 stop in Columbia, South Carolina, telling Democrats and clergy they could not afford to lose the "fight between hope and despair." He criticized Republican cuts to food stamps and Medicaid eligibility, invoked civil rights history, and urged support for Senate candidate Annie Andrews.

Warnock plans to return to South Carolina this weekend to campaign with Andrews and gubernatorial nominee Jermaine Johnson ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms and early voting. His visits to South Carolina, along with earlier stops in New Hampshire and Nevada — the early presidential primary states — have renewed speculation about a 2028 presidential bid. Warnock downplayed the talk, saying he is focused on 2026 and retaking a Senate majority. Other Democrats eyeing national profiles, including Rahm Emanuel, Andy Beshear, Mark Kelly, Ro Khanna, Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg, have also recently visited the early-voting state.

The three candidates vying for South Carolina's U.S. Senate seat met Tuesday night in Columbia for their only scheduled debate before Election Day, held at SCETV studios and broadcast statewide across television, radio and digital platforms. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, Democrat Dr. Annie Andrews, and Libertarian Dr. Kasie Whitener each took part in the hour-long format, which allotted one minute for opening statements, one minute for responses, and 30-second rebuttals. Candidates did not see questions in advance and were barred from using notes or props.

The debate followed a contentious stretch of the campaign, including remarks from President Trump on Truth Social targeting Andrews over transgender-related issues. Recent polling has shown Graham leading Andrews by a narrow margin, within or close to the margin of error, while Whitener trails both.

With early voting set to begin within days and Election Day roughly three weeks away, the debate offered voters a rare direct comparison of the candidates' positions ahead of a race drawing national attention for its competitiveness.

A legal and political standoff between St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Police Chief Axel Henry has escalated into a lawsuit, a city-commissioned investigation, and mounting taxpayer costs. Henry sued Her on Sept. 23, alleging sexual harassment and violations of whistleblower and data-practices laws. A 76-page report by outside firm Resolute Law, released in redacted form Oct. 1, found the mayor acted inappropriately in several instances—including sharing sexualized memes and altered photos, and discussing her body with two female employees—but did not substantiate sexual harassment or retaliation claims by either side.

The city has already spent over $43,000 on the investigation and hired an employment law firm at $500 an hour, with costs expected to grow. Legal experts anticipate a settlement that would likely see Henry leave city employment. Removing Henry as chief or recalling Her before 2028 would both require difficult legal thresholds under the city charter, making a negotiated resolution the most probable outcome.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker spent a day campaigning across South Carolina, headlining the state NAACP's annual convention and stumping for Democratic candidates including Senate nominee Annie Andrews and gubernatorial nominee Jermaine Johnson. Pritzker urged Democrats to be more combative toward President Trump and Republicans, saying the party has been "too dainty" and "too nice," and calling for a "team fight" posture ahead of the midterms.

Pritzker, who faces reelection in Illinois next month, declined to say whether he's running for president in 2028, framing the trip as support for down-ballot Democrats. Still, his appearance before Black voters in the first-in-the-nation primary state fueled speculation about his national ambitions. He also voiced concern that federal immigration enforcement could be used to intimidate voters in competitive states like South Carolina, and touted his financial support for Southern Democratic candidates, including a $1 million donation to Texas gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa.