‘Incredible’: Here’s how Reitz says he beat Rodman in Beaufort County Council primary
Tom Reitz, running for Beaufort County Council for the first time, called his surprising and convincing win over incumbent Stu Rodman in the Republican primary for District 11 on Tuesday “incredible.”
Even Rodman said, “I was surprised,” by the election results.
With 96 of 98 precincts reporting — Hilton Head Island counting still was not complete as of 2 p.m. Wednesday — Reitz had 1,785 votes, or 66.48%, to Rodman’s 900, or 33.52%, to advance to the Nov. 8 general election against Democrat Cathy McClellan.
“Incredible, incredible thing that took place,” Reitz said of the results Wednesday morning.
District 11 encompasses the southern section of Hilton Head Island as well as the Atlantic coastline from Port Royal on the north to South Beach.
Reitz, a 60-year-old business development manager from Shipyard Plantation, had an uphill battle and called the campaign a “roller coaster.” Not only was he running for the council for the first time, he faced a well-known candidate with high-profile endorsements in Rodman, 77, of Sea Pines, who had served for 16 years including a stint as chairman.
But Rodman, who resigned as chairman in 2020 over various controversies that divided the council, carried baggage into the primary.
And Reitz said Rodman’s well-publicized storms — which included concerns over circumvention of rules, unilateral decisions, backdoor conversations with employees and keeping email and cell phone communications on public issues secret — allowed him to talk about issues such as impact fees, growth and the Highway 278 project instead of his opponent.
“It allowed me to focus on real issues people have to deal with,” Reitz said, “so I think that helped my campaign.”
While the result may have come as a shock to some, Reitz added, he had assembled a good campaign team — and he beat the bushes for votes, talking to residents with a message of giving them a voice and “a stake back in county government.”
“There’s no way a council person can do their job,” Reitz said, “ if they do not know what matters to the people they are representing.”
As of 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Reitz said he still had not received a call from Rodman conceding the race, and “I wouldn’t mind” because he wants his advice going forward.
Rodman chairs the Public Facilities Commission and is a liaison to the Airports Board, Beaufort County School District, Economic Development Corporation, Low Country Regional Transportation Authority/Palmetto Breeze and the Town of Hilton Head. His departure in December will shake-up the dynamic of the 11-member board.
It was an honor to serve for 18 years, Rodman said, including his 16-year stint on the council, which was preceded by two years on the Beaufort County School Board. While he was disappointed in the results, Rodman added, he is not disheartened and plans to keep busy with work locally and in Columbia. But he has no plans to run for election again.
“It’s time to move on,” Rodman said.
As to why he lost, Rodman, who was seeking his fifth four-year term, said, “I’m not going to get into that. I don’t get into anything negative.”
This story was originally published June 15, 2022 at 2:16 PM.
