Retired Navy Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore advanced to a runoff in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District Democratic primary on June 9, positioning the former military officer for a June 23 showdown against veteran Mac Deford for the Democratic nomination.
Lacore, a three-star admiral who served as chief of the Navy Reserve, was removed from her post by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in August 2025. She launched her congressional campaign in January and has since secured endorsements from veterans-affiliated groups VoteVets and Veterans for Responsible Leadership, as well as EMILYs List, which backs pro-choice Democratic women.
During more than three decades in the Navy, Lacore rose from a helicopter pilot to vice admiral. Upon leaving the Pentagon following her dismissal, she said she “never put the uniform on again.” Her firing came as part of a broader wave of military leadership removals under the Trump administration.
Deford, her runoff opponent, is a former local government attorney and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He has been endorsed by former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and the South Carolina AFL-CIO. Both candidates defeated a larger field of Democrats in the June 9 primary to advance to the runoff.
The 1st Congressional District, which stretches along South Carolina’s southeastern coast, is being vacated by Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican who is running for governor instead. Despite the competitive Democratic primary, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the seat as solidly Republican, suggesting the GOP is favored to hold it in November’s general election.
Sources
- The Hill — Nancy Lacore’s advancement to runoff, her dismissal by Hegseth, her military background, and endorsements
- WTOP — Mac Deford’s advancement to runoff and district information
- Ballotpedia — Runoff date of June 23, 2026
- ABC News — Lacore’s 35-year Navy career and her announcement to run for Congress
- Military Times — Details of Hegseth’s August 2025 removal of military leaders
