As a member of City Council since 2016, I have had a front-row seat to the many issues facing our community and have the vision necessary to lead this wonderful city forward.

I was born in Charleston and attended local schools. I have been married to my wife, Mary, for over 30 years. Our family includes Pete, his wife, Sarah, and their daughter, Mary Lee; and our two other children, James and Julia. I graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and then earned my law degree in 1981. During my legal career, I have served as a federal prosecutor and a municipal judge in Mount Pleasant. Currently, I practice law with my son at Shahid Law Office.

My grandparents immigrated to South Carolina from Lebanon at the turn of the 20th Century. My paternal grandfather arrived in Charleston in 1899 at the age of 10. He worked from the time he settled here, selling goods from the back of a horse-drawn cart. He and my grandmother raised six children from the money he earned from that cart. My grandfather opened a dry goods store and eventually purchased his own property to build Shahid’s Department Store, a Charleston fixture on upper King Street, for almost 100 years until it closed in 1998.

I, as well as my siblings and cousins, worked in the family store alongside my grandfather, father, uncle, and aunts. We were taught the basic virtues of honesty and diligence, that long hard hours pay off, that there was never a job too small or too big, and to care for the people who honored us with their patronage. I carry those virtues in my everyday life.

This city and its wonderful citizens opened their arms to offer my grandparents and my parents an opportunity to raise a family, earn a living, and take advantage of the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. My siblings and I were ingrained with another basic concept – getting involved and serving our community. As long as I can remember, my family members, including myself, have engaged in some aspect of public service.

I was elected to Charleston City Council, representing District 9 in 2015, beating an eight-year incumbent, and was re-elected in 2019. I initiated the West Ashley Revitalization Commission, created the Stormwater Department, and formed the Council Budget Ad Hoc Committee. I have been a strong advocate for protecting our neighborhoods and being responsive to citizens’ needs and concerns. Public Safety is a top priority for me. I have worked closely with my fellow council members to ensure all City employees receive better pay.

I want to take the success I have demonstrated in the past and carry it forward to the next level by serving as mayor and addressing head-on the serious problems of increased crime, flood management, attainable housing, traffic, and controlling our unchecked growth. I want us to rethink Charleston.

With your vote, I can become your next Mayor and provide strong leadership for our community. I am dedicated to working hard for all citizens. Most importantly, I possess the vision to lead Charleston as it continues to grow. With proven experience as a Charleston City Council member, community leader, and businessperson, I will continue to offer real solutions to real problems, striving to make Charleston a better place for us all.