‘Keep our foot on the pedal.’ Gettys triumphs in field of 3 in Rock Hill mayoral race
The crowd of about 100 supporters fell silent as Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys abruptly walked to the front of Dust Off Brewing in Rock Hill shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday, holding a microphone. He smiled. Several in the crowd shuffled and wiggled in anticipation.
“I feel pretty confident,” Gettys said. “There’s not going to be a runoff.” His smile grew wider.
The crowd erupted in cheers. Some jumped up and down. Others whistled.
Gettys announced he had just won reelection. He went up against York County Council member William “Bump” Roddey, who he defeated in a runoff election in 2017, and newcomer Ishmael Lowery, a self-proclaimed conservative.
“I want to thank you, the supporters, the donors, the contributors, the people that knocked on doors, the people who called, texted, did everything that was necessary,” Gettys said. “It looks like we’re going to just squeak over 50% on this, and that wouldn’t have happened had it not been for everybody in this room.”
His supporters’ cheers grew louder. Several people hugged.
With 37 out of 39 precincts reporting at 10:30 p.m., Gettys had about 51% of votes, according to unofficial results. Although Tuesday’s total votes hadn’t been reported by 9 p.m., Gettys announced his victory, while Roddey gave a concession speech.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Gettys told The Herald. “It’s been a hard four years in Rock Hill, but a good four years. It’s always good to feel like your work’s been affirmed and validated. With all we’ve been talking about in Rock Hill in the last four, five weeks in making sure we make the southside part of our progress, the voters of Rock Hill stood up and said, ‘That’s exactly what we want to see.’”
Now that it appears he’s been reelected, Gettys said he plans to keep the city on the same trajectory of growth. He said he will ensure the projects that started under his leadership will continue to prosper.
“We’re going to keep our foot on the pedal,” Gettys said. “We’ve seen a lot come to Rock Hill. We’ve told people we’re going to do a lot more and the people of Rock Hill want to see a lot more. ... I’m excited to see what we’re going to do in Rock Hill over the next four years and looking forward to working with the county and the schools to make that happen.”
Given that Gettys and Roddey went into a runoff in 2017, Gettys said he wasn’t sure how Tuesday night would end.
“When you have three candidates, you’ve got to get 50% plus one,” he said. “That’s a really tough nut to crack. That rarely happens. It didn’t happen four years ago. … So, I’m very fortunate that we were able to pull that out.”
‘He really is for all people’
Gettys’ closest friends and family were among the crowd at his election night event, including Mona Lisa Raley, member of Rock Hill nonprofit Sisters United As One, who’s known Gettys for about four years. She said he’s helped the city “grow in all aspects.”
“Doors have been open and opportunities have been afforded to so many — all races,” she said. “Doors have been open even during the pandemic.”
Raley, who’s lived in Rock Hill for more than 50 years, said Gettys prioritizes building relationships with the city’s residents. She then started to cry.
“He really is for all people,” Raley said. “That just softens my heart because I have children and grandchildren here in Rock Hill.
“We can talk to our mayor. When I was a young child, here in Rock Hill, you couldn’t do that.”
Several city council members showed up to support Gettys, including councilwoman Nikita Jackson, who represents Ward 5.
“It’s only befitting that I support someone I’ve worked alongside for four years,” Jackson said. “I’ve seen his work and I’ve wanted to come out and show him my support.”
The city’s election was scheduled to include three ward races in addition to the mayoral seat. However, city officials decided to postpone the ward elections until February due to a delayed release of U.S. census data, which is needed for redistricting.
S.C. House Majority Leader Gary Simrill, who worked with Gettys to solidify an incentive deal to bring the Carolina Panthers to York County, also came to support Gettys. He said Gettys accomplished a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for the city.
“There are more ways to mess it up than to allow it to happen,” Simrill, R-York, said. “It’s like threading a needle in a manner of speaking and he did it.”
He said Gettys, over the last four years, has built the relationships necessary to work with those not only in the city but outside.
“That is so important for our community,” Simrill said. “When we’re all rolling together, there’s no where Rock Hill can’t go.”
‘We just fell a little short’
At the end of the night, Roddey faced his supporters, speaking clearly into the microphone: “We didn’t win.”
His last message to his supporters, who had gathered in Fountain Park, was long — thanking each member of his team and urging people to get out and vote in the future. Eventually, his wife walked up and placed her hand on his shoulder.
“She says I’ve said enough,” Roddey said, laughing.
“This came down to a really close race,” he told reporters. “It was tight through the end. It was just that nose of the horse that got across the line a little bit faster. My hat goes off to John Gettys on his reelection, and I look forward to working with him on a county level, as well as on a community level.”
Roddey said he will continue to have an influence on Rock Hill with his position on York County Council.
“I still look forward to exposing things that are not right and proper,” he said, as the audience applauded.
Throughout the night, Roddey had remained confident, insistent that the race would end either in his victory or in a runoff. He referred to himself as “the next mayor” and “your next mayor.”
And his supporters shared that vision.
“He’s the mayor for all people,” Rock Hill resident William McCrory, who’s known Roddey for 45 years, said.
Shawn Anderson said Roddey has an understanding for what Rock Hill residents need.
“We just wanted to come out and support who we think will be the best mayor for Rock Hill,” Anderson said.
Toward the end of the night, as totals came in, showing Roddey lacked in some precincts, he continually said — “That’s all right. We just fell a little short.”
This story was originally published October 19, 2021 at 11:00 PM.
