Cromer beats Scallate in Beaufort mayoral contest. Here’s what he plans to do first
Phil Cromer defeated challenger Josh Scallate by a narrow margin of 815 votes in Beaufort's mayoral race in Tuesday's election, based on unofficial election results.
The campaign to lead the city of 14,000 residents for the next four years pitted the youngest and oldest members of the City Council and competing visions. Scallate argued new leadership was needed. Cromer touted his experience.
With 100% of the precincts reporting, Cromer had 3,096 votes, or 57.13% to Scallate's 2,281 votes or 42.09%.
Cromer's first act as mayor-elect?
Take a beach vacation, beginning this week.
"This has been an exhausting campaign," Cromer said Tuesday evening at his election party that drew about a 100 supporters to the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club.
His first real act as mayor will be meeting will council members, including Scallate and Mitch Mitchell and Neil Lipsitz, who also were reelected, and Mike McFee to say, "alright, this is a clean slate. It's about Beaufort. It's not about us."
Scallate was proud of the campaign he ran. He knocked on doors, went to countless meet and greets, hustled and did his best to refute attacks he said were frustrating.
"We gave it our best shot and that's all you can do," Scallate said at an election night party at Shellring Ale Works, before the outcome was known. "The rest is up to voters."
Cromer, 74, retired from local politics in 2022 after serving two terms on City Council from 2014 to 2022. But he was lured back to run for mayor after Stephen Murray resigned before his term expired. Cromer, a retired town manager who also worked for the South Carolina Municipal Association, then won a special election in December 2023.
During the campaign, Cromer said he wanted to ensure that the city's history, natural environment and architecture are protected. "You have to preserve what's special about your community," he said.
Scallate, 33, a firefighter, joined the council in 2022 but he decided to run for mayor with two years remaining in his term arguing the city needed better leadership on infrastructure and growth issues and better communication with the public.
The city's failing Waterfront Park infrastructure; its attempt renegotiate an unfavorable lease with a private party that manages the city marina; rapid development; and hurricane preparation emerged as issues during the campaign.
Cromer must now lead a city that has been beset at times with infighting over development in the city's historic downtown and other issues.
"There's quite a bit to do," Cromer said.
But the Waterfront Park infrastructure problems rise to the top of heap in Cromer's view. Engineers need to come up with options and then the city needs to go after state and federal funding to pay for it, he said.
The city's rapid growth, which he says is outstripping the city's infrastructure, is also a priority, Cromer said.
During the campaign for a full term as mayor, Cromer played up his experience and temperament and said he would encourage civility but Scallate said he wasn't pleased with some of the accusations and actions of Cromer's supporters. One example: An accusation that Scallate signed the controversial marina lease with Safe Harbor Marinas, which he did not.
"I just don't like being accused of things that aren't true," Scallate said.
He wants to see the city make it easier for the public to access information and be more proactive in getting information to the public so residents are less susceptible to misinformation.
