Senator Katrina Shealy leads in District 23 race

State Senator Katrina Shealy, a Republican from Lexington, is currently leading in the race against her Republican challengers, Carlisle Kennedy and Zoe Warren, according to early results.

At 9:30 p.m., Shealy had secured 41.5% of the vote, with Kennedy following closely behind at 36.6% and Warren at 22%.

If no candidate reaches more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote earners will head into a runoff in June. Interestingly, there are no Democratic candidates running for the seat.

Shealy’s family and supporters gathered at Bubba’s Pub and Grub in Lexington for her watch party, where they anxiously awaited the results. The atmosphere was patriotic, with red, white, and blue decorations adorning the bar.

Expressing her thoughts to the crowd around 9:30 p.m., Shealy anticipated a runoff in the race, aiming to defeat her opponent, Carlisle Kennedy, whom she described as “not nice” and “really bad.”

Throughout the campaign season, Shealy faced not only attack ads but also unusual threats that made her feel her safety was at risk, something she had never experienced before.

While the candidates didn’t directly attack each other, Warren and Kennedy emphasized their conservative values, which were perceived as subtle jabs at Shealy. Warren, for instance, highlighted his firm stance on conservative values, such as being 100% pro-life and opposing the hate crime bill due to concerns about free speech.

Kennedy, who is also a trial lawyer like Shealy, emphasized his pro-life and pro-children stance, aligning himself with conservative principles.

Financially, Shealy had a significant advantage over her opponents, with a total of $199,323.28 in campaign funds compared to Kennedy’s $21,680.00 and Warren’s $20,179.70.

Despite the challenges and competition, Shealy and her allies remained confident in her victory, with the Senator personally engaging with voters throughout the day at polling stations.

As the election results continue to unfold, Shealy’s leadership and commitment to her constituents will be put to the test in the coming months. Stay tuned for more updates on this closely watched race.