'Southern Charm' star Thomas Ravenel takes major career decision

Thomas Ravenel, former South Carolina state treasurer and reality TV personality from Bravo’s Southern Charm, has announced his candidacy for governor of South Carolina.

The 62-year-old took to social media platform X on Thursday to declare his run, asserting that none of the "lightweights" currently in the race could stop him.

In regards to this, Ravenel wrote to his followers, “I have a message that’s going to change not just South Carolina but the entire country.”

According to Daily Mail, Ravenel previously served as South Carolina’s state treasurer before resigning in 2007 amid federal drug charges.

He pleaded guilty to conspiring to buy and distribute cocaine and served a 10-month prison sentence.

Despite legal troubles, he has remained a controversial political figure, making an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate in 2014 against Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, where he secured less than four percent of the vote.

In addition to his political career, Ravenel has faced legal disputes, including a 2019 guilty plea to third-degree assault and battery related to an incident involving his former nanny, resulting in a $500 fine.

Additionally, Ravenel gained national recognition through Southern Charm, appearing on the first five seasons before Bravo removed him from the series following his legal troubles.

Furthermore, his gubernatorial campaign marks his return to the political arena as he aims to challenge the current field of candidates in South Carolina’s upcoming election.