A high-stakes congressional race is taking shape in South Carolina’s military-heavy Lowcountry, as former Navy vice admiral Nancy Lacore launches a challenge against Rep. Nancy Mace in the state’s 1st Congressional District.
Lacore, who was removed from her post by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is positioning her candidacy as a referendum on Pentagon oversight, veterans reform, and fiscal discipline. Her campaign frames her decades in uniform as preparation for holding both Congress and the Defense Department accountable at a moment of growing global instability.
Designated a Naval Aviator in 1993, Lacore rose through the ranks to become the 16th Chief of Navy Reserve in August 2024. In that role, she oversaw roughly 59,000 Reserve Component personnel supporting the Navy, Marine Corps, and joint forces worldwide. Her abrupt removal from the post has drawn attention, though both the Department of Defense and the Navy declined to comment, citing restrictions under the Hatch Act.
The Hatch Act limits partisan political activity by executive branch officials while they are serving, including senior military leaders. Lacore’s campaign has emphasized that her decision to run came after her removal and within the bounds of federal law.
Her platform centers on strengthening congressional oversight of defense spending, improving military readiness, and modernizing veterans services. Campaign officials say Lacore plans to push for faster disability claims processing, shorter health care wait times, and clearer accountability in Pentagon procurement — issues with particular resonance in South Carolina, home to more than 400,000 veterans.
South Carolina’s 1st District includes Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Hilton Head Island, and much of the coastal Lowcountry, along with major defense installations such as Joint Base Charleston. As a result, national security and military policy carry unusual weight in local politics.
Lacore has also emphasized fiscal discipline, arguing that Congress must pair national defense priorities with responsible budgeting. While her campaign has not outlined specific cuts, officials say she supports bipartisan negotiations aimed at reducing reliance on short-term funding patches that have repeatedly disrupted federal agencies.
“She has spent her career serving service members and their families,” a campaign spokesperson told Military.com. “That experience informs how she approaches veterans policy.”
Mace, a well-known statewide figure, has previously branded herself as President Donald Trump “in high heels” and has survived multiple competitive election cycles in a district that, while reliably Republican at the top of the ticket, has shown a willingness to flip.
South Carolina’s 1st District primary is scheduled for June 9, with a runoff on June 23 if needed. The filing deadline is March 30, and the general election will take place Nov. 3.
