Charleston Mayor Joe Riley said he will wait until later this year before thinking about seeking a ninth term in November 2007, but some observers already are speculating how the race might shape up.

And when Riley's former assistant, David Agnew, shared the spotlight recently during the announcement of a deal to prevent private development on Morris Island, many took it as a sign that Agnew might be the mayor's political heir.

City Councilman Henry Fishburne was among them.

"The rumor I hear is that (Riley) is not going to run and that he's promoting David Agnew," Fishburne said.

Unlike North Charleston, where Mayor Keith Summey long ago indicated he plans to run again next year for a final term, Charleston's Riley traditionally waits until about a year before the election to tip his hand.

This election is no exception. Riley, 63, who still takes the stairs two at a time inside City Hall, said he is as energized and committed to the job as he ever has been.

"I love very much the opportunity the citizens give me to work very hard for them," he said. "Each year and each day, there are more opportunities for hard work."

Agnew said this week he both hopes and expects Riley will seek re-election, but he didn't deny his own interest in the job.

"I'd love to run for mayor of Charleston. I think it's one of the best public service jobs in America," he said.

Agnew worked for five years as one of Riley's top assistants before leaving City Hall to start his own development company, Civic Square, a real estate development and consulting firm.

An Anderson native, Agnew's political roots in South Carolina run deep. His father and two brothers have served in the state House, and his brother Paul currently represents Anderson and Abbeville counties there. Before moving to Charleston, Agnew served as a special assistant to U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich.

Fishburne, whose City Council seat will be up for election in 2007, also has been mentioned as a possible candidate. He said he hasn't thought much about his plans because he has been focused on his wife Lurline's current bid for election to the Charleston County School Board.

Fishburne would not rule out a mayoral bid but said he probably will seek re-election to council. Like many, though, he also is wondering what Riley will do.

"I really don't think he ought to run again. I just think 32 years is too long, and I don't think it would be good for the city or for Joe Riley to run again," he said. "If he doesn't run, I would expect there to be at least a half a dozen people in the race."

Riley said he still finds new challenges to tackle, such as new environmental initiatives, increased work with schools and a push for more orderly regional growth, particularly around the Watson Hill tract, the Francis Marion National Forest and on Morris Island.

Agnew strongly denied anything political was going on with the Morris Island announcement earlier this year.

He was involved in it because of his role as chairman of the Trust for Public Lands' South Carolina Advisory Council. The mayor was involved because of his rapport with developer Bobby Ginn, who had an option to buy the island.

"It was the result of hard work that came about naturally," Agnew said.

While the city changed to nonpartisan elections a few years ago, Riley, a longtime Democrat, is expected to face a challenge from a candidate more aligned with the GOP.

"The idea that these races are nonpartisan are totally untrue," said Fishburne, who first ran for City Council as a Republican. "They are obviously partisan, and I think we're not being honest with the public when we say they're nonpartisan."

Filing for city offices won't take place until August 2007, but Riley indicated he would decide long before then.

"I think it's important to make a decision and signal my intentions early," he said.

The Charleston mayor's job is a full-time position, and the mayor acts as both the city's top administrator and the chairman of City Council.

Riley earns $117,984 a year; City Council members earn $11,000 annually.

The mayoral race is nonpartisan, and there will be a runoff if no one gets more than 50 percent of the vote.

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or at rbehre@postandcourier.com.

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