Major Bravo Reality TV Star to Run for Governor: What’s Next for Thomas Ravenel

Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel‘s political aspirations lasted shorter than most reality TV romances – just four days from announcement to withdrawal. The former South Carolina state treasurer and Bravo television personality stunned political observers with his abrupt entry and equally swift exit from the 2026 gubernatorial race.

On Feb. 6, Ravenel boldly declared his candidacy on social media platform X, writing: “I’m running for Governor of South Carolina and none of the lightweights currently in the race are going to stop me. I have a message that’s going to change not just South Carolina but the entire country.”

However, by Feb. 11, Ravenel had completely reversed course. In a follow-up post on the same platform, the 62-year-old cited family responsibilities as his reason for abandoning his gubernatorial ambitions. “It’s more important to raise my family than to seek political office,” Ravenel explained, referencing his role as a single father to three young children.

This political whiplash left supporters and critics alike wondering about the seriousness of his initial announcement. One commenter expressed skepticism from the start: “I didn’t think he was too serious about it since he announced it on X.” The observer suggested that a genuinely committed candidate would have chosen more formal channels of communication than social media.

Ravenel’s brief flirtation with the governor’s mansion represents his third attempt at major political office, following previous unsuccessful campaigns. In 2004, he failed to secure the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, and a decade later, in 2014, he mounted an independent bid for the same position, as detailed by WCNC Charlotte.

His only successful political venture came in 2006 when he won election as South Carolina state treasurer. However, that victory proved short-lived. According to ABC Columbia, Ravenel resigned from the treasurer position in 2007, just months after taking office, following federal cocaine distribution charges. He subsequently pleaded guilty and served 10 months in prison.

Legal troubles have continued to shadow Ravenel beyond his abbreviated political career. In 2019, he avoided jail time by pleading guilty to assault charges involving a former nanny. As ABC Columbia reports, Dawn Ledwell told Charleston police that Ravenel had sexually assaulted her in 2015, though investigators lacked sufficient evidence to pursue sexual assault charges due to the time gap between the incident and its reporting. The settlement agreement included an $80,000 payment by Ravenel to People Against Rape, a Charleston-based advocacy group for sexual violence victims.

Despite these controversies, Ravenel maintains significant name recognition in South Carolina, partly due to his family’s prominent history in the state. His ancestry is deeply rooted in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region, where the Ravenel name has carried influence for generations. His father, Arthur Ravenel Jr., served as both a state legislator and U.S. Representative from Charleston. The impressive Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge connecting downtown Charleston to Mt. Pleasant stands as a lasting monument to his family’s influence.

Many South Carolinians, however, likely recognize Thomas Ravenel primarily from his appearance on Bravo’s Southern Charm, a reality series chronicling the sometimes scandalous lives of wealthy Charleston residents. His volatile relationships and conflicts with cast members, particularly ex-partner Kathryn Dennis, with whom he shares two children, have been fodder for reality television drama for years.

Ravenel’s treatment of female cast members has repeatedly raised eyebrows, and he hasn’t participated in the reality program for multiple seasons. His recent controversy involving former cast member Olivia Flowers included suggestions that she had used their relationship merely as a stepping stone to join the television show.