Nancy Lacore, Mac Deford Advance to June 23 Runoff in SC 1st District Primary
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 10
Nancy Lacore, Mac Deford Advance to June 23 Runoff in SC 1st District Primary
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 10
Summary
No Democrat cleared the 50% threshold in South Carolina’s 1st District primary, sending retired Navy Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore and attorney Mac Deford to a June 23 runoff.
Lacore enters the next round with a higher profile and more money—$1.4 million raised versus Deford’s $547,800—while campaigning on her 35-year Navy career and her 2025 firing by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Deford has pitched himself as a pragmatic local lawyer, highlighting his work as Mount Pleasant’s associate general counsel on COVID-19, housing and FEMA-related matters.
The winner will face a steep general-election climb in a district Republicans have held almost continuously since 1981, though Democrat Joe Cunningham won it once from 2019 to 2021.
The seat opened after Republican Rep. Nancy Mace launched a bid for South Carolina governor; she won re-election in the district 58.2% to 41.6% in 2024.