South Carolina Democrats call for their gubernatorial candidate to step down after police dashcam reveals his unhinged rant following arrest

Democratic South Carolina gubernatorial candidate William “Mullins” McLeod’s career may be over after newly released police dashcam footage shows him ranting about being “God” and “Superman” after being arrested, Breitbart reported. The 53-year-old was arrested in May for disorderly conduct over the incident, but the footage only surfaced after he declared his intention to run for governor in 2026 on Monday.

The police report recounts how McLeod was found in downtown Charleston “yelling at the top of his lungs” while wearing only underwear and shoes. The officers believed McLeod was demonstrating behavior “typical of an individual under the influence of a stimulant narcotic.”

The footage was shared to X, formerly Twitter, by the Libs of TikTok account. “He went on an insane unhinged rant, screamed profanities, threatened to ‘kick teeth in’ of rivals, and yelled at cops. At the time, he was charged with public disorderly conduct and was allegedly high on drugs. The Democratic Party of SC are now urging him to drop out of the race,” the account captioned the footage.

NEW: Footage shows arrest of Charleston County Democratic Party chairman and current SC Gov candidate William Mullins McLeod Jr.

He went on an insane unhinged rant, screamed profanities, threatened to “kick teeth in” of rivals, and yelled at cops.

At the time, he was charged… pic.twitter.com/zCMzRpcgK0

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 14, 2025

The Arrest

The footage of McLeod shows the father of four on a verbal tear while handcuffed and seated in the back of a police car. The video shows a shirtless McLeod refusing to share his name with police, telling officers, “It doesn’t matter, my friend, trust me,” McLeod said.

“I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil,” he added. Other answers to the question included “God” and settling on “Superman sounds good.

McLeod also launched into a tirade against his Republican opponents, saying that he will “kick your f–king teeth in” about Attorney General Alan Wilson, whom he called out by name. Wilson is running against McLeod as a Republican, and it’s possible the two may have history, given McLeod’s occupation as an attorney.

When the car containing McLeod pulled up at the police station, officers ordered him to exit the vehicle. “No, I’m not doing it, no. I’m not getting out of this car,” McLeod said. “It’s time to go to bed,” McLeod added.

Officials have not said whether it was confirmed that McLeod was under the influence of any substances, so it’s unclear whether this was a drug-fueled rant or simply a mental health break. The footage of the arrest was released as part of a Freedom of Information Act request, and with its release and the embarrassing conduct of the candidate, South Carolina Democrats immediately called for him to drop out of the race.

It’s Over

McLeod’s reputation was instantly ruined when the footage was released on Wednesday, not just because of his conduct, but also because he reportedly used the n-word several times. South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain found this entirely objectionable and said as much in a news release that same day.

“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. We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs,” Spain said in a statement.

Despite this, McLeod released a statement Thursday that seems to suggest he isn’t going anywhere, South Carolina Public Radio reported. In a recorded video statement, McLeod ignored his conduct in the video and instead blamed those in the “establishment” for trying to take him out.

“Well, that didn’t take long…I felt confident that they would come for me because I am a threat to the establishment, which is bipartisan in this state, by the way,” McLeod claimed. “I share with the voters that no matter how much they try to silence me, no matter how much they try to get me out of this race, that I would not stand down,” McLeod promised.

It’s shocking that McLeod didn’t see this video or the public’s reaction to it as a wake-up call, but instead remained defiantly committed to his political future. Perhaps McLeod believes that if he rides this out, Democratic voters will overlook or forget this incident, and he might just be right.