Nancy Lacore, a retired Navy three-star rear admiral, advanced to the Democratic runoff for South Carolina’s 1st congressional district primary after the June 10 vote [1, 2]. Lacore was dismissed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on August 22, 2025, during a broad reshuffle of senior military officials perceived as out of alignment with the administration’s vision. She characterized her firing as "without cause" [1, 2].
Lacore served 35 years in the Navy and was chief of the Navy Reserve before her dismissal. Along with Lacore, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and Rear Adm. Milton Sands were also fired on the same day in August 2025 [2].
In the Democratic runoff election scheduled for June 23, 2026, Lacore will face Mac Deford, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and local attorney who also advanced from the primary [1, 2]. The winner will challenge Republican Nancy Mace in the November 2026 midterm election for the district’s open seat. Mace is not running for re-election, opting instead to run for governor of South Carolina. Mace said, "South Carolina needs a governor who will drag the truth into sunlight and flip the tables" [1, 2].
The 1st Congressional District has been predominantly Republican since 1981, except for one term. In the 2024 election, Mace won re-election with 58.2% of the vote against Democratic challenger Michael Moore, who received 41.6% [2].
Lacore has raised over $1.4 million for her campaign through late May 2026. Her campaign is supported by veterans groups, Emily’s List, and the Bench, a Democratic strategy group focused on difficult districts [1].
The runoff will decide the Democratic nominee who will take on Mace’s open seat in November. The June 23 election marks the next critical step in the contest for the South Carolina 1st District seat [1, 2].
