Kathryn Roberts (Democratic Party) ran for election to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 48. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Roberts completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Roberts was born in Michigan City, Indiana. She earned her bachelor's degree from West Virginia University in 2006 and her master's degree from DeVry University, Keller Graduate School of Management in 2018. Roberts' professional experience includes working as a small business owner and independent contractor. She also worked extensively in technical theatrical productions, in customer service, manufacturing, management, and over road truck driving.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Kathryn Roberts advanced from the Democratic primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 48.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Bruce M. Bryant advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina House of Representatives District 48.
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kathryn Roberts completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Roberts' responses.
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I grew up in the Midwest and moved to South Carolina in 2015 with my family. My husband grew up in Charlotte and his parents live in Clover, SC. My parents are both passed away and we wanted our children to have grandparents in their lives, so we made the decision to move. It was a bit of a culture shock to be surrounded by the kindness of southern hospitality when we first moved. Since then, I have grown to love the people, culture, and natural beauty of the area we now call home.
There are many reasons why I finally decided to run for office but three of the main issues that concern me the most are income inequality, healthcare, and education.
Together we can make a difference and start to implement common sense reforms that are more in line with our community values.
- No one who works full time should have to worry about being able to put food on their table!
- Healthcare is a human right, full stop!
- It is imperative that our children are given every opportunity to thrive and succeed in their learning.
Income inequality, healthcare, and education are my primary public policy focuses.
I honestly believe in the concept that all men are created equal. As I have grown older, the divide between the rich and powerful and the hourly workers has become more extreme. They are the ones with all the rights while the marginalized and essential workers, that truly make our country run, are cast aside. It is time we work to bring back the middle class in our country by supporting and compensating workers properly. No one who works full-time should have to worry about putting food on their table.
It is imperative that our children are given every opportunity to thrive and succeed in their learning. A well-rounded education should not be one that simply teaches to pass a test. It must give children the chance to express themselves through creativity and the arts as well as science and math. Especially for our girls who have been guided away from STEM careers in the past.
Healthcare is a human right. Full stop. We are the only industrialized nation in the world to not offer full healthcare to its citizens. The number of people who are forced to file bankruptcy ever year is staggering. I will be first in line to sign my name to any legislation that provides universal healthcare to all citizens without lining the pockets of CEOs and shareholders first. I look up to Elizabeth Warren and would be thrilled to be half as great as she is. She has been through a lot in her life but she always persisted and fought to get where she is today. Every proposal she has made has the American people in mind first ahead of politics or profit for lobbyists. If there is anyone in the US political system who truly embodies what it means to be a public servant, Elizabeth Warren is that person.
I have a passion for helping people. I am empathetic to the struggles that people face in their every day lives. I want to make a difference by giving people a leg up so that they can live their best lives and if I am given the chance to go to the State House and be a part of helping the residents of South Carolina then I will fight with everything I have to help improve the lives of my fellow residents.
The core responsibility of any elected official is to create and shape laws that will benefit the people of their state. No one group of people should be given priority over another.
I would like to be seen as an honest public servant who didn't go to the State House to become wealthy but who went and fought for the average person.
The first historical event that I remember is the Challenger explosion in 1986. I was 8 years old at the time and in 3rd grade. I went to a small catholic school and I vividly remember feeling so special because we got to go to the 8th grade classroom, where they had a couch in their room, and we got to watch the launch. Roughly 60 teachers and students were crammed into the classroom huddled around a small tv that sat on top of a rolling cart. Everyone counted down to the launch and it was only seconds after blast-off that the explosion happened. I remember not understanding what was going on and the looks on the teacher's faces was one of sadness and shear horror. The teachers tried to explain what had taken place but at that point I didn't understand. It wasn't until a few years later when I truly realized what had happened and what we had lost in that accident.
My very first job was when I took over my sister's paper route at the age of 13. They had moved our newspaper delivery to the afternoon so every day after school for 3 years I had to fold and deliver 150 papers to all of the houses on my route. I also had to go door to door to collect the subscription money every month from people who didn't pay in full every year. It taught me a ton of responsibility and how to run my own business at a young age.
It has honestly been a long time since I had time to sit and read a book since having my first child 8 years ago and working full time as well. But I have started many books that I hope to finish. Most recently, I started Michelle Obama's book Becoming and Rachel Maddow's book Blowout. I look forward to having time to finish them both soon!
It's very hard to name just one but I have always been drawn to smart, witty, and confident female characters. I keep thinking of the women in the Avengers series who consistently go toe to toe with their male counterparts and hold their own.
I often have songs from musicals or from one of my favorite bands running through my head.
I have struggled with a lot in my life. I have always lived pay check to pay check and even with my advanced degrees, I have never been able to find a "real job" that provides security and stability for my family. My life has often felt like it's one step forward and two steps back.
I don't think it is always necessary to have prior experience before becoming a state legislator. What is important is that the person have honesty and integrity. Also, there should be no corruption or malpractice in that person's history while in the private sector.
Redistricting and the resulting gerrymandering has become a major concern in our state. In order to correct these issues, there should be an independent, nonpartisan committee that uses population data as the metric for drawing districts. It should have nothing to do with income or political party. The time has come for our elections to actually be fair and be representative of the voters wishes. Not skewed by politicians trying to gain an electoral advantage by making districts that favor the voters of their chosen political party.
As a parent to three children in elementary school, I would be honored to serve on the education and public works committee.
When I was a childI was a Girl Scout from 1st-12th grade. As a Girl Scout, I developed a deep love and respect for the environment and natural world that has continued into adulthood. Because of this, I also have interest in the agricultural, natural resources, and environmental affairs committee.
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See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 14, 2020
Leadership
Speaker of the House:G. Murrell Smith
Majority Leader:Davey Hiott
Minority Leader:James Rutherford
Representatives
Republican Party (88)
Democratic Party (36)
