Christale Spain
{{short description|American politician from South Carolina}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Christale Spain
|image =
|office = Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party
|term_start = April 29, 2023
|term_end =
|predecessor = Trav Robertson
|successor =
|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|46|2023|4|29}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|education = University of South Carolina Aiken (BA)
Columbia College (MA)
}}
Christale Spain is an American politician currently serving as Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, the first black woman to hold the role.{{Cite news |last=King |first=Maya |date=2023-04-29 |title=South Carolina Democrats Elect First Black Woman to Run State Party |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/29/us/politics/south-carolina-democrats-spain.html |access-date=2023-05-04 |issn=0362-4331}}
Education
Spain graduated from W. J. Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina. She then attended the University of South Carolina Aiken where she became one of the institution's premier women's basketball players, becoming the first player (male or female) in the university's history to score over 1000 career points and pull down over 1000 career rebounds.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-15 |title=Individual Records |url=https://pacersports.com/sports/2016/4/7/womens-basketball-individual-records.aspx |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=PacerSports.com |language=en-US}} She also attended Columbia College, and is a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority.{{Cite web |last=cmccurry |date=2023-03-08 |title=Biography |url=https://christalespain.com/biography/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=Christale Spain for SCDP Chair |language=en-US}}
Political career
Spain worked as political director for the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign and was state director for the Cory Booker 2020 presidential campaign. She was also the Senior Advisor for Black Engagement at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-29 |title=Spain is 1st Black woman to lead South Carolina Democrats |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/south-carolina-ap-spain-democrats-joe-biden-b2329550.html |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=The Independent |language=en}} She announced her campaign for state party chair in February 2023.{{Cite web |last=Rome |first=Ashley |date=2023-02-20 |title=Christale Spain announces campaign launch for SCDP chair |url=https://wpde.com/news/local/christale-spain-announces-campaign-launch-for-scdp-chair-south-carolina-government-2-20-2023 |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=WPDE |language=en}} Spain was endorsed by her predecessor Trav Robertson, as well as Jim Clyburn and Jaime Harrison.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-29 |title=Spain is 1st Black woman to lead South Carolina Democrats |url=https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-democrats-convention-f5ef5f8a06d3a612a74f536789027bec |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}} Her role meant overseeing the first scheduled Democratic Party presidential primary in South Carolina in February 2024.{{Cite web |last=Shapero |first=Julia |date=2023-04-29 |title=South Carolina Democrats elect first Black woman to head state party |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3979851-south-carolina-democrats-elect-first-black-woman-to-head-state-party/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}} In July 2024, she endorsed the Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign.{{cite web |last=McCabe |first=Luis |date=2024-07-22 |title=South Carolina DNC delegation officially endorses Kamala Harris for presidential race |url=https://www.foxcarolina.com/2024/07/22/south-carolina-dnc-delegation-officially-endorses-kamala-harris-presidential-race/ |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=foxcarolina.com}} She gave South Carolinas votes during the ceremonial roll call at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.{{Cite web |last=Mandler |first=C |date=August 21, 2024 |title=The DNC roll call featured a musical salute to each state. Here's what your state chose |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/g-s1-18188/democratic-national-convention-roll-call-music-state |website=NPR}}
Spain was widely quoted after the 2024 South Carolina general election produced a number of Democratic Party legislators losing their seats, and Republicans gaining a supermajority in the South Carolina Senate.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-06 |title=Republicans flip seats to clinch supermajority in South Carolina Senate |url=https://www.counton2.com/news/your-local-election-hq/republicans-flip-seats-to-clinch-supermajority-in-south-carolina-senate/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=WCBD News 2 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Kenmore |first=Jessica Holdman, Abraham |date=2024-11-06 |title=SC Republicans celebrate red wave that gives GOP biggest advantage in 150 years • SC Daily Gazette |url=https://scdailygazette.com/2024/11/06/sc-republicans-celebrates-red-wave-that-gives-gop-strongest/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=SC Daily Gazette |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-11-06 |title=Republicans rack up another good election night in South Carolina |url=https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-republicans-senate-ddc28398dd9d34c905689b4328440e4c |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Holdman |first=Jessica |date=2024-11-15 |title=Democrat state Sen. Gerald Malloy loses in recount solidifying SC Senate GOP supermajority • SC Daily Gazette |url=https://scdailygazette.com/2024/11/15/democrat-state-sen-gerald-malloy-loses-in-recount-solidifying-sc-senate-gop-supermajority/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=SC Daily Gazette |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Trav Robertson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party|years=2023–present}}
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{{Democratic State Chairs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spain, Christale}}
Category:21st-century South Carolina politicians
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century African-American women politicians
Category:21st-century African-American politicians
Category:American political consultants
Category:Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign
Category:Columbia College (South Carolina) alumni
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:South Carolina Democrats
Category:State political party chairs of South Carolina
Category:University of South Carolina Aiken alumni
Category:USC Aiken Pacers athletes