Newly elected state Sen. Katrina Shealy visited New York last week after being named one of Glamour magazine’s 2012 top 15 women in politics.

Shealy said she learned she received the honor just two days after winning her rematch against state Sen. Jake Knotts, R-Lexington.

She flew to New York last Monday where she met the other winners and attended an awards show that night at Carnegie Hall emceed by Chelsea Clinton. She came home the next day.

“It was exciting, but it was like a whirlwind tour,” she said.

A write-up on the Glamour website discusses how Shealy fought back from losing her race in 2008 and had to work this campaign as a petition candidate. She knocked on 20,000 doors to collect signatures and connect with voters. Her secret weapon was a pair of Wonder Woman sneakers.

“They were most excited that I never gave up,” Shealy said, “and that encourages a lot of other women to not give up.”