LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — South Carolina Senator Katrina Shealy has responded to the Lexington County Republican Party's (LCRP) censure of her over her stance on the state's abortion bill.
Although the South Carolina legislature did pass an abortion bill on May 23 that bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, Shealy and other women in the Senate pushed for a 12-week ban and joined Democrats in voting against the bill known as the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act.
Earlier, on April 28, Shealy and the other four women in the Senate -- Mia McLeod (I-Richland), Penry Gustafson (R-Kershaw), Margie Bright-Matthews (D-Colleton), and Sandy Senn (R-Charleston) -- banded together to vote against a stricter version of the law that would have banned abortion at the time of conception.
After their monthly meeting held on Monday evening, County GOP Chairwoman Pamela Godwin issued a statement that read, "The LCRP members presented a wide body of evidence and voted to censure Sen. Shealy.”
The statement goes on to say that “being pro-life is a bare minimum expectation for Republican legislators in Lexington County and Sen. Shealy has unfortunately failed that test very outwardly."
"All legislative seats in South Carolina are up for election in 2024 with the Republican Primary taking place in June," it continued.
In response, Shealy released this statement about the censure:
"I am not surprised at it. To be honest. The new leadership at the Lexington GOP likes to claim I am not pro life and not following real Republican values. First, I have carried the banner for children, families, veterans, the elderly, victims of trafficking and domestic violence for years. I am very pro life. As for Republican values... Conservative, less Government in your personal life, more local government, fighting to reduce income tax and end property taxes. Being a true fiscal conservative -- that's a Republican. Social issues and telling people how to handle their personal life is not a real Republican value."
Although signed into law by Gov. McMaster on May 24, the new abortion bill has once again been put on hold as it faces a challenge in the state's Supreme Court by Planned Parenthood and other healthcare entities. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on June 27.