Gustafson served on the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources, Corrections and Penology, Family and Veterans' Services, and Judiciary Committees.
[1] In early May 2023, Gustafson joined with a Democrat, an Independent and two other Republican women state senators, calling themselves, "The Sister Senators": Sen. Mia McLeod, Sen. Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington), Sen. Penry Gustafson (R-Kershaw), Sen. Margie Bright-Matthews (D-Colleton), and Sen. Sandy Senn (R-Charleston).
[4] In September 2023 it was announced that "The Sister Senators" had been selected to receive the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award.
[6] In 2020, though taking only one of three counties, Gustafson defeated popular Senate incumbent and two-time gubernatorial candidate, Democrat Vincent Sheheen.
[8][9] Blackmon won the Republican nomination,[10] and went on to defeat Democratic challenger Yokima Cureton in the November general election.