Turnout was light as only 1,483 people out of 15,053 registered voters went to the polls on Tuesday (July 27th) to select the District 2 Columbia City Council representative. Political newcomer Brian DeQuincey Newman won the election with 800 votes (54.35 percent) to Harold "Puff" Howard’s 669 (45.45 percent).

Turnout was light as only 1,483 people out of 15,053 registered voters went to the polls on Tuesday (July 27th) to select the District 2 Columbia City Council representative. Political newcomer Brian DeQuincey Newman won the election with 800 votes (54.35 percent) to Harold "Puff" Howard’s 669 (45.45 percent).

Newman, a 27-year-old attorney who six months ago had put his house on the market and was ready to move out of the city, defeated 53-year-old Howard, brother of District 76 State Representative Leon Howard, to become only the second person to represent District 2 at City Hall.

Newman will finish the term of longtime councilman E.W. Cromartie, who resigned March 9 after he admitted he did not pay federal income taxes and had structured bank deposits to avoid reporting the money to the IRS. He pleaded guilty to the charges on April 26 and is awaiting a sentencing date in federal court. Cromartie held the seat for nearly three decades.

"When people (say) I was young, I think what they related that to was my energy and my ability to get work done," Newman said after winning the long and contentious race. "They know that there is a lot that needs to be done for our community, and I believe they felt I was the candidate to do that."

Howard, owner of a garage and towing service, congratulated Newman and pledged to work with him on district issues.

Newman and Howard emerged from a field of eight candidates two weeks ago to force Tuesday’s runoff election. Many observers thought Howard had the edge heading into the runoff, because two of the top five vote-getters on the July 13 special election – Alex Furgess and Emma Myers – live in Howard’s neighborhood.

As it turned out most of the precincts where Myers and Furgess had the most support went to Newman, including Ward 19, at Latimer Manor, where Newman received 68 more votes Tuesday than he did two weeks ago.

Newman will represent a district that includes some of the city’s most developed areas but the poorest residents. District 2 includes Main Street, the Vista and portions of Five Points. But its neighborhoods have the lowest per capita income in the city, and its home values are the lowest of any of the four council districts.

Newman will join a city government in flux, with an interim police chief, fire chief and planning director. Already, community concern is heading up over whether to ask Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott to manage the city’s police department.

Newman says his first priority will be to meet with District 2 residents and "gauge the status of all community projects."

"I know that (Cromartie) has a great legacy," Newman said. "And I know the people of District 2 are going to demand results and demand productivity, and that’s what I intend to offer."

Newman has lived in District Two for four years. He graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in Business Administration and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. After law school, he went to work in the Richland County Solicitor’s Office.

Newman is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina and the South Carolina Association for Justice. Currently in private practice with Rikard & Moses, his professional focus is on criminal defense, personal injury, and medical malpractice.

His father, Clifton Newman, has served South Carolina as an At-Large Circuit Court Judge for nearly 10 years. Newman’s uncle is the late civil rights leader I. DeQuincey Newman.

Newman’s campaign focus has been on "law and order" in what he sees as "rising gang violence in our neighborhoods" although he has been quiet on the Sheriff Department/City Police consolidation issue. He says he wants to use his background as a prosecutor to fight gang activity and his "number one goal would be protecting public safety resources, making the district and city a safer place to work and live."

"I’ve been on the front lines in the fight against gangs," he says. "I’m tired of seeing so many young and promising lives either lost or ruined and I intend to do something about it." He goes on to say, "We must strengthen public safety by ensuring our men and women in uniform have the resources they need. The people deserve better and I’m going to make sure all the people get what we’re paying for."