Beaufort Co. Council: Republican candidates win across the board. ‘Honored and humbled’
Republican candidates for the Beaufort County Council cruised to victory Tuesday night with each candidate getting well over 60% of the vote.
The four new faces will join the council in January to represent Districts 2, 6, 8 and 11.
Here’s who won:
District 2
David Bartholomew, 35, an attorney with Schiller and Hamilton in Beaufort, defeated Democrat Marilyn Harris.
Bartholomew (R) — 62.36%, 4,407 votes
Harris (D) — 37.61%, 2,658 votes
“I’m really excited that the campaign season is behind us and ready to get out there and work for the people and serve the community,” he said Wednesday. “I’m ready for it — looking forward to it.”
District 6
Tab Tabernik, 70, a retired educator and the chair of the Beaufort County Library Board, defeated Democrat Alphonos Small Jr.
Tabernik (R) - 67.90%, 5,444 votes
Small Jr. (D) - 31.94%, 2,561 votes
“I’m very excited.” she said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to serve my community. And I really promise to be a voice for all the residents in District 6 and always open to listen to anyone that has a concern or an idea. That’s what I’m going on council to do.”
District 8
Republican Paula Brown ran unopposed in District 8.
District 11
Tom Reitz, 60, a business development manager at Earth Supplied Products, defeated Democrat Cathy McClellan.
Reitz (R) - 65.02%, 5,837 votes
McClellan (D) - 34.96%, 3,138 votes
“I am honored and humbled to have won this election and know that I am the new Beaufort County Councilman for District 11. It has been a tremendous journey and I have so many supporters that helped me get to the finish line; I will never be able to thank them enough. It is the team of people that worked tirelessly everyday to get our message out and the people I met on the streets everyday that inspired me to keep going and I have won this for them.
“I am their elected official and I will work everyday to understand what their needs and concerns are and to protect and preserve this place we all call home. I will represent the people with honesty, integrity and full transparency. There is so much work to be done and I am ready to get busy and move forward for the future of our county and our island. God Bless,” Reitz said Wednesday.
Who’s leaving?
In the June primary, two longtime council members were defeated — Paul Sommerville in District 2, and Stu Rodman in District 11. They’ll be joined by another longtime councilman, Brian Flewelling, and Chris Hervochon as the four councilmen leaving their seats.
Flewelling did not seek reelction after redistricting put him and councilwoman Alice Howard in the same district. When first elected in 2008, said he would only run for re-elction once, unless he were in a leadership position.
“I find myself now without a leadership position on Council, facing the question of reelection,” Flewelling said in a statement to the Packet. “Keeping the rascals in check is not enough to cause me to break my promise. I am grateful and humbled by your support over the years.
Hervochon also chose not to run again.
The new council will have a few things on their plate in January:
▪ The council will continue to work with the Hilton Head Island Town Council, which will also see a new roster come January, to continue the 278 bridge improvement projects. Whether they will continue to butt heads or find better cooperation is anyone’s guess.
▪ The council will likely be dealing with the affordable housing issue often in the next term. Last month, the council approved the sale of 2 acres in a historic Beaufort neighborhood for $1 million, with the goal of establishing a mix of market-rate housing and less-expensive units.
▪ With the recent establishment of the regional housing trust fund, a collaboration between eight local governments, more affordable housing projects are sure to follow.
This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 11:08 AM.
