Navy admiral fired by Hegseth and local attorney advance to runoff in Dem primary to replace Nancy Mace
Retired Navy Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, who was fired by Pete Hegseth, and local attorney Mac Deford went to a runoff Tuesday evening amid a crowded Democratic primary. remaining congressional vacancy Rep. Nancy Mace, R.S.C.
Because no candidate garnered more than the 50 percent of the votes needed to win outright, the primary now moves to a runoff election scheduled for June 23.
After completing the primaries, the final candidate will attempt to become only the second Democrat South CarolinaHe was elected to the U.S. 1st Congressional District for over 40 years, highlighting his military background as well as how he was ousted from office by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
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Rep. Nancy Mace, R.S.C., left, pictured with retired Navy Adm. Nancy Lacore, right.
(Getty Images)
The vacancy first came to light when Mace, an ardent conservative, announced his decision to step down. run for governor Palmetto State.
During his time in Congress, Mace was noted for his willingness to break away from his own party on high-profile issues. He was one of eight Republicans to vote with Democrats to impeach the former US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy He is one of four GOP lawmakers who pushed for a vote to release the Epstein Files in 2023 and earlier this year.
Mace said he will try to continue his work as a political maverick at the state level.
“South Carolina “It needs a governor who will bring the facts to light and turn the situation around,” Mace said in his announcement speech.
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Rep. Nancy Mace, R.S.C., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the House of Representatives reauthorized Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on April 12, 2024.
S.C.’s primary district, a relatively safe Republican district, has been in GOP hands for much of the last 40 years. Aside from Rep. Joe Cunningham (D.C.), who held the seat from 2019 to 2021, Republicans have controlled the district since 1981.
Mace was last re-elected in 2024 with a 58.2% to 41.6% victory over his Democratic opponent, businessman Michael Moore.
Lacore presented himself as an anti-political civil servant to turn the tables and flip the seat.
Lacore initially served as a Navy pilot and finished his career as a three-star admiral. Removed by Hegseth. A decision that Lacore described as “unprovoked”. His dismissal comes amid the Trump administration’s efforts to reform the Department of Defense and coincides with the dismissals of other senior figures such as Lt. Gen. Kennedy Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, commander of the Naval Forces Special Warfare Command.
All three were dismissed on August 22, 2025.
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U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on May 30, 2026. On Thursday, Hegseth reaffirmed the Trump administration’s support for Bolivia’s fragile government amid mass protests.
“I served in the U.S. Navy for 35 years with the belief that service, honor and integrity matter and that these are the qualities of true leaders,” Lacore said. in a campaign video.
“But that’s not what our political leaders believe today.”
It had raised $1.4 million as of the end of May, according to the FEC records.
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Deford, on the other hand, presented himself to voters as a pragmatic candidate. On his website, he highlighted a track record serving as Deputy General Counsel for the Town of Mount Pleasant advising him through the COVID-19 Pandemic, a housing initiative that directed federal funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“This is not a political stop for me. This is my home, and I want to serve as your next representative in Washington,” Deford said. he said. a campaign video.
Deford raised $547,800, according to FEC records.
Original article source: Navy admiral fired by Hegseth and local lawyer advances to runoff in Democratic primary to replace Nancy Mace
