Nancy Lacore, a recently retired three-star Navy admiral, has jumped into the crowded race for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, currently held by Rep. Nancy Mace. With 18 candidates now competing for this coastal seat stretching from Charleston to Hilton Head, Lacore brings 35 years of military service, personal ties to the Lowcountry, and targeted policy ideas aimed at military families, rising costs, and working parents.
Why She’s Running
Lacore’s Navy career ended abruptly in August 2025 when she was removed from her role leading the Navy Reserve (overseeing 60,000 sailors) by then-Secretary Pete Hegseth, without explanation. This shifted her retirement plans forward—she’d bought a home in the area last spring, planning to settle after her four-year term. Her family roots here run deep: a daughter graduated from the College of Charleston, and Lacore has lived military life from all angles as a service member, spouse, mom to a service member, and VA patient.
Key Issues and Proposals
Lacore focuses on district-specific challenges like high living costs, military support, and family burdens. Here’s a breakdown:
- Housing and Cost of Living: Advocates zoning changes for more multi-family units, curbing Wall Street firms from buying up single-family homes, and addressing why even her tech-recruiter daughter’s good income can’t buy a house.
- Childcare and Caregiving: Monthly tax credits for families (instead of annual), incentives for caregivers based on experience, and federal grants for new facilities.
- Healthcare: Restore expired ACA subsidies, expand telehealth at VA (where she gets care), and explore a public option alongside private insurance.
- Military and Leadership: Depoliticize the military by limiting “acting” roles in leadership; improve VA modernization for scheduling and patient portals. She stresses her nonpartisan, 35-year service record.
She also champions equality, noting her five daughters have fewer rights than she did at their age, and her gay children deserve equal treatment—driven by her role as mom to six.
This race is heating up in a district blending military bases, retirees, and coastal vulnerabilities like environmental pressures. Lacore positions herself as a steady, service-oriented outsider. For the latest on all 18 candidates or election dates, check official sources like the South Carolina Election Commission. What aspect of this race or her platform interests you most?
