Community activist Kathryn Harvey is the new chairwoman of the Spartanburg County Democratic Party.
She was elected at the party’s annual convention Saturday, attended by an estimated 60 Democrats at Spartanburg Community College’s downtown campus theater.
She succeeds Angela Geter, who is focusing her energy on her U.S. Senate campaign for the seat of incumbent South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott.
“I saw the opportunity to raise my hand and take on a larger leadership role in supporting our local party,” Harvey said Monday. “Angela was outstanding in her leadership role, both financially and making Spartanburg a lightning rod for national candidates.”
President Joe Biden came to Spartanburg in 2019 ahead of the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary that he won. His victory in South Carolina was seen by many as the turning point in his campaign, en route to his presidential victory in 2020.
Among other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates who stopped in Spartanburg include Marianne Williamson, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Tom Steyer, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg.
Harvey said she plans to go on a “listening and learning tour” throughout the county, and engage in conversation with voters and potential candidates.
“A lot of folks want to be part of the movement of the party,” she said.
Harvey said she has no plans to run for office, but instead will focus on fundraising and organizing.
In 2018, she founded the Neue South Collective creative marketing firm in Spartanburg.
A graduate of New York University with a bachelor of science degree, she has run campaigns for Major League Baseball and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
More recently, she has assisted local nonprofits in fundraising efforts and served as co-chair of Spartanburg County’s Complete Count Census Committee.
She also helped organize the recent Together SC summit in Spartanburg.
Nonprofit summit: SC nonprofit leaders gather in Spartanburg, tour neighborhoods to talk inequity issues
Other Spartanburg County Democratic Party officers elected Saturday include first vice chair, James Jones; second vice chair, Angelia Edwards; third vice chair, Monier Abusaft; executive committeeman, Kenneth Myers; executive committeewoman, Rosalyn Henderson-Myers; alternate executive committeeman, Michael Woodcock; and alternate committeewoman, Darcell Davis-Williams.
