LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. — The two top leaders of Laurens County Council have endorsed Republican Rick Shealy in the race for South Carolina House District 14, three weeks before the Nov. 3 general election.
Council Chairman Jeff Carroll and Councilman Matthew Brownlee, the council vice chairman, announced their support for Shealy, the Republican nominee on the November ballot.
Carroll said Shealy knows the problems facing Laurens County families and businesses because he has lived and worked beside them for years, and he described Shealy as someone who listens before he acts. Brownlee pointed to the candidate’s experience and character and said Shealy would stand up for conservative values and make sure county residents are heard at the Statehouse.
Shealy said he was grateful for the endorsements and that close communication between county council and the local legislative delegation is essential.
Shealy, a Cross Hill businessman, won the seat’s Republican nomination in June by unseating incumbent Luke Rankin, 3,089 votes to 2,050, and carried 20 of the 25 precincts. Rankin was elected in 2024 after one four-year term on county council. In November he faces the Democratic nominee, a local attorney and business owner who was unchallenged for her party’s nomination.
Early voting for the general election runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at designated early voting centers. On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters should bring a valid photo ID.
