Lacore And Deford Advance To Runoff In South Carolina House Democratic Primary
Nancy Lacore and Mac Deford advanced to a June 23, 2026 Democratic runoff for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, setting up a contest to replace Rep. Nancy Mace and to face the GOP runoff winner.[1]
In the June 9 Democratic primary Lacore received 16,942 votes (36.5%) and Deford 13,392 votes (28.9%), with neither reaching a majority in a roughly 46,000-vote race. Both the Democratic and Republican runoffs for the open seat are set for June 23, 2026.[1] Fox News similarly reported that Lacore, the Navy admiral fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and a local attorney advanced to the runoff.[2]
On August 22, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore as chief of the Navy Reserve. Lacore announced her Democratic campaign on January 20, 2026 and has made her removal from the post a central argument for running. Deford is a Coast Guard veteran who previously ran in the 2024 Democratic primary and served as general counsel for Hilton Head Island.[1]
Some local supporters have rallied behind Lacore's experience, while analysts note the district's Trump plus-13 partisan lean will make the general election difficult for Democrats.
The mainstream summary does not mention the significant implications of the Trump +13 partisan lean in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, which analysts highlight as a major hurdle for Democrats in the upcoming general election. This context is crucial, as it underscores the challenges Lacore and Deford will face, particularly in a runoff that is expected to see low voter turnout, as noted by social media commentators. Additionally, while the summary briefly touches on Lacore's experience as a Navy admiral, it overlooks the broader recruitment strategy of the South Carolina Democratic Party, which has been actively targeting veterans and professionals to contest traditionally Republican districts, a move that could influence the dynamics of the race more than the summary suggests. This recruitment effort, led by Chair Christale Spain and Jaime Harrison, aims to build momentum for Democrats in the 2026 elections and is a critical factor in understanding the landscape of this primary race.
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📊 Relevant Data
In the June 9, 2026 Democratic primary for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, Nancy Lacore received 16,942 votes (36.5%) and Mac Deford received 13,392 votes (28.9%), with neither reaching a majority and approximately 46,000 total votes cast in the race based on partial reporting.
South Carolina House District 1 Primary Results 2026 — NBC News
📌 Key Facts
- Democrats Nancy Lacore and Mac Deford advanced to a June 23, 2026 runoff in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District (Nancy Lacore).
- Both the Republican and Democratic runoffs in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District are scheduled for June 23, 2026 (June 23, 2026).
- The article describes Nancy Lacore as a Navy admiral who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (Nancy Lacore).
- The article describes Mac Deford as a Coast Guard veteran and a former general counsel for Hilton Head Island (Mac Deford).
- The winner of the Republican runoff between Jenny Honeycutt and Mark Smith will face either Nancy Lacore or Mac Deford for the open seat (Jenny Honeycutt).
- The reporting concerns the open congressional seat in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District (South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District).
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The article notes that the winner of the Republican runoff between Jenny Honeycutt and Mark Smith will face either Democrat Nancy Lacore or Mac Deford, who themselves are headed to a June 23, 2026 runoff.
- It describes Lacore as a Navy admiral fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deford as a Coast Guard veteran and former general counsel for Hilton Head Island, aligning the Democratic field directly opposite the GOP runoff for the same open seat.
- It explicitly states that both the Republican and Democratic runoffs in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District will occur on June 23, 2026.