Signs for Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, and her challenger, Carlisle Kennedy, seen on Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia. (Abraham Kenmore/SC Daily Gazette)
COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s longest-serving female senator has conceded to her primary runoff challenger, attorney Carlisle Kennedy, according to multiple news sources.
Sen. Katrina Shealy’s comments came as results were still being counted Tuesday night, but she was trailing her opponent by more than 20 percentage points.
Shealy was the last of three Republican women to be ousted in the June primaries. The other two GOP “sister senators” lost June 11. All three helped block a near-total abortion ban and opposed the six-week ban that ultimately became law last year.
Freshman Sen. Penry Gustafson, R-Camden, was trounced two weeks ago by an overwhelming margin, while Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, lost by just 33 votes.
The only other senator in a primary runoff, freshman Sen. Billy Garrett, R-Greenwood, held his seat against challenger Charles Bumgardner, a dentist living in Lexington County.
The only Statehouse seat with both Democratic and Republican runoffs was Senate District 35. The open seat was held by Democrat Sen. Thomas McElveen III, who opted not to seek re-election after 12 years.
Mike Jones, a 36-year Army veteran, easily won the Republican runoff against Richland District 2 School Board member Lindsay Agostini.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The post SC Senate will have no GOP women after only chairwoman ousted in runoff appeared first on SC Daily Gazette.