Early results from Tuesdays runoff indicate District 23 will have a new senator.

Twelve-year sitting state Sen. Katrina Shealy conceded to her opponent Carlisle Kennedy with one-third of precincts reported, favoring Kennedy. Shealy said she called Kennedy and left a voice message congratulating him.

“There is no pathway to victory,” she said about her decision to concede.

“I’m actually better off. But the people of South Carolina that really need me, the disabled community, the veterans, the children… and the women,” Shealy told the crowd as one women yelled out the women as well. “But this ain’t the last you’ve seen of me.”

As of 8:30, Kennedy led with 60.58% of the vote. Shealy was at 39.42%.

There are no Democrats running for the seat.

As chairman of the Family and Veterans’ Services Committee in Senate, Shealy has been widely viewed as an institutional figure in SC politics. Her re-election put her in a precarious situation, along with two other Republican women senators surrounding one issue; abortion.

The sister senators, a trio of Republican women who blocked a near total abortion ban from passing the Senate were threatened with being ousted after their decision to filibuster in 2023. Republican Sen. Penry Gustafson, a first term senator, was crushed by her opponent Allen Blackmon in the primaries who won the race with 82% of the vote. Republican Sen. Sandy Senn lost by 33 votes after a recount to her opponent Matt Leber.

After results started to come in, Shealy said abortion was ultimately what knocked her out.

Warren endorsed Kennedy the day after the primaries, June 12, asking his voters to “anoint Mr. Carlisle Kennedy, his precious family, and all of the Republicans of Lexington County.”

Before results came in, Shealy emphasized that she and the sister senators stood up for women everywhere.

“It’s a shame what they’ve done to the other women in the senate I just hate the fact that it’s come to this where we aren’t going to have as many women,” Shealy said.