Nancy Lacore Wins South Carolina 1st Democratic Runoff, Targeting $2.1 Million General Election Fight
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 24
Nancy Lacore Wins South Carolina 1st Democratic Runoff, Targeting $2.1 Million General Election Fight
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 24
Summary
Nancy Lacore, a former Navy admiral fired last year by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, won the Democratic runoff for South Carolina's 1st District, defeating Mac Deford.
The victory sends Lacore into a tough general election in a coastal district redrawn in 2021 to favor Republicans and long represented by Nancy Mace, who chose a failed gubernatorial bid over seeking re-election.
Double-digit Republican wins in Mace's last two races underscore the challenge, but Democrats see Lacore's military profile as a potential opening in the seat.
Fundraising has fueled that bet: Lacore raised $500,000 in her first two weeks and more than $1.6 million through late June, while House Majority PAC reserved $2.1 million for the fall.
Outside groups including VoteVets and The Bench also spent about $100,000 and $65,000 in the primary, signaling broader Democratic interest in a district still considered difficult to flip.