Katrina Shealy | |
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Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 23rd district |
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Assumed office 2013 |
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Preceded by | Jake Knotts |
Personal details | |
Born |
Columbia, South Carolina |
December 25, 1954
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | James Irby Shealy |
Profession | Insurance Executive |
Website | katrinashealy |
Katrina Frye Shealy (born December 25, 1954 in Columbia, South Carolina) is an American politician, and a member of the South Carolina State Senate. She is a Republican but was elected as a petition candidate from District 23 in Lexington County. At the time of her election she was the only woman in the South Carolina Senate but is now one of four women currently serving in the South Carolina State Senate.
She is an insurance executive and the former chairwoman of the Lexington County Republican Party.
In 2008, Shealy ran for the Republican Party's State Senate District 23 nomination against long-time incumbent State Senator Jake Knotts. Despite support from prominent Republicans including United States Senator Jim DeMint, Shealy was defeated. Shealy filed again as a candidate in the 2012 Republican primary. Her name was removed from the ballot after it was determined that she incorrectly filed her candidate paperwork. This case went to the SC Supreme Court and resulted in the removal of over 200 candidates from the ballot that year who had also incorrectly filed their paperwork. It was known as the Great Ballot Debacle of 2012. Shealy fought to have her name added to the general election ballot as a petition candidate and won the November 7, 2012 general election with 51% of the vote.
She serves on the Agricultural and Natural Resources committee, Corrections and Penology committee, Fish, Game and Forestry committee, General committee and the Judiciary committee.
In 2015, Shealy was elected First Vice Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.
Shealy was reelected to serve a second term on November 8, 2016. She now serves on the Judiciary Committee, Medical Affairs, Banking and Insurance, General and Corrections and Penology. Shealy was appointed to serve on the SC Children's Committee and also serves as Vice Chair of the Southeastern Legislative Committee Human Services and Public Safety Committee. Shealy serves as Chair of the General Committee and is the first Republican woman to ever serve as Chair of a Standing Committee in the South Carolina Senate. The General Committee is responsible for legislation regarding Human Services and Veterans Affairs.