Two-time Charleston County South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Mullins McLeod is refusing to step aside from his gubernatorial run after police footage of him ranting and raving in the back of a police car was released to the public.
McLeod has faced calls from the state Democratic party to exit the race to focus on his mental health, but has said he will remain in the race.
SCDP Chair Statement on the release of the Dash-Cam footage from Mullins McLeod pic.twitter.com/xVCO24tc6y
— South Carolina Democratic Party (@scdp) August 13, 2025
"After reviewing the transcript of the dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor," the state party said in a statement. "We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs."
McLeod attributes the leak to the party's attempts to oust him because he threatens the establishment.
"I felt confident they would come for me, because I am a threat to the establishment," McLeod said. "No matter how much they try to silence me. No matter how much they try to get me out of this race, I will not stand down."
"I know the political storm is all around me, but my rudder is true," he added. "My plan and my purpose has never been clearer. So, I'm going to keep my head down. I'm going to keep working. I'm going to keep being the perfectly imperfect person God made me to be."
In the footage, McLeod swears at an off-camera figure and makes slurs and threats against a number of political figures including former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump.
He was cited for public disorderly conduct.
The party is clearly concerned that his mental state is not what it should be, and that the footage will impact public perception of him in the months leading up to the election.
South Carolina being a pretty solidly Republican state, it probably won't matter whether he stays in the race or is replaced by another candidate.
But understandably, the party doesn't want to lower its profile even further in the state and lose more ground there.
So far, he's sticking to his guns, but time will tell if he can maintain enough public support to justify doing so.
