Retired Navy Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore won the Democratic runoff Tuesday in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, setting up a November race against Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt for an open coastal House seat.
Lacore Advances After Runoff Win
Lacore won the Democratic runoff after defeating Coast Guard veteran Mac Deford. Honeycutt won the Republican runoff the same night, giving voters a two-woman race for the seat now held by Rep. Nancy Mace. Mace is leaving the House after running for governor. Her departure created an open seat in a district Republicans have held for most of the past decade.
Lacore’s campaign moved quickly from a biography-driven primary into a nationalized general election. She is presenting herself as a career public servant who was pushed out of military leadership without a clear public explanation.
Hegseth Ouster Shapes Campaign
Lacore was removed as chief of the Navy Reserve during a broader Pentagon shakeup led by Hegseth. The Pentagon did not give a detailed public explanation for her removal. The same personnel wave also affected other senior defense officials. Hegseth removed Lacore and Sands, along with Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, amid growing scrutiny of leadership changes.
Military Record Gives Campaign Weight
Lacore served in the Navy for decades before entering politics. Her official record says she received her commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and later became a Naval Aviator. Her official Navy biography lists command roles, education, and operational experience, including senior assignments tied to the Navy Reserve and Naval District Washington.
That record gives her campaign a stronger national security profile than many Democratic challengers in Republican leaning districts. It also gives her a direct response to attacks that frame Democrats as weak on defense.
Honeycutt Starts With GOP Edge
Honeycutt enters the general election with a clear Republican advantage. South Carolina’s 1st District has leaned right in recent federal races, and national forecasters still view it as difficult territory for Democrats. The district is rated as Solid Republican, despite its history of one recent Democratic upset. Joe Cunningham won the seat in 2018 before losing it to Mace two years later.
Charleston District Carries Local Stakes
The 1st District includes Charleston and nearby coastal communities. Its voters include military families, retirees, suburban professionals, tourism workers, small business owners, and homeowners facing rising costs. That mix gives both campaigns several issues to address. Flooding, insurance, housing, veterans’ care, health care access, and economic pressure in the Lowcountry could become major parts of the race.
Fired Admiral Becomes Political Test
Her biography gives Democrats a candidate with discipline, national security experience, and a personal story tied directly to the Trump administration. Her removal gives the campaign urgency, but it also carries risk if voters see the race as centered too heavily on Washington conflict.
The latest status is clear. Both parties have chosen their nominees, Mace’s seat is open, and South Carolina’s 1st District is now a general election race shaped by military service, Pentagon politics, and the fight over who voters trust to lead.
