Nancy Lacore advances in South Carolina's 1st congressional runoff

Nancy Lacore moved into a runoff in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, giving Democrats a national-security nominee with a military résumé they believe can still break through in a district built to favor Republicans. The coastal Lowcountry seat, which runs from Charleston to Hilton Head Island, was redrawn in 2021 to be more Republican, and Cook Political Report rates it R+6.

Lacore’s path into the race began after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed her from her post in August 2025. Lacore, a retired vice admiral and former chief of the Navy Reserve, said she was removed “without cause.” Her campaign has leaned heavily on the contrast between that firing and her 35 years in the Navy, including a period when she led more than 60,000 sailors.

The 1st District has been competitive before, but the numbers show how steep the climb remains. Nancy Mace won the 2024 general election with 58.22% of the vote, while Democrat Michael B. Moore received 41.60%. Cook Political Report says Donald Trump carried the district by 13 points in 2024, underscoring the Republican tilt Democrats must overcome if they want to make the seat truly competitive.

That is why Lacore’s backers are framing her as more than a traditional party-line nominee. Democratic strategists point to Joe Cunningham’s 2018 victory as proof the district can swing in a favorable wave year, and Lacore has already drawn support from EMILYs List and The Bench. Her campaign says she raised $250,000 in its first 24 hours, more than $500,000 in two weeks and $1 million in its first quarter, numbers that signal real national interest in a race far outside the party’s easiest terrain.

Lacore also picked up a notable local endorsement from Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie, who crossed party lines to back her. That kind of support fits the message her campaign has emphasized: service, Lowcountry identity and opposition to mid-election redistricting efforts. On June 9, Lacore was projected to advance to a runoff against veteran Mac Deford, while the Republican side featured physician Sam McCown, State Rep. Mark Smith and retired Air Force Lt. Col. Alex Pelbath. With Nancy Mace filing for governor on March 24, 2026, and leaving the House race open, the district has become one of the clearest tests of whether a military biography and a high-profile Pentagon dismissal can still persuade moderate Republicans and independents in a seat that was drawn to be tougher for Democrats.