Axel, the 9-year-old Bernese Mountain dog who successfully campaigned as the "mayor" of the Shandon neighborhood in Columbia, died in his sleep in mid-October, the dog's owners confirmed.

Axel Hodges was a natural politician; he never met a palm he didn’t like. The Bernese Mountain dog who in 2018 ran for ”mayor” of Columbia’s Shandon neighborhood has died.

Bernese Mountain dog Axel who belonged to former SC Gov. Hodges, became de facto mayor of Columbia’s Shandon after a local election, died.