OMM Newsroom
Democratic candidate Nancy Lacore, a retired US Navy vice admiral dismissed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, claimed victory in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District after defeating Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt in a traditionally conservative stronghold, Anadolu Agency reported.
The apparent win marks another Democratic pickup amid nationwide gains in the midterm elections. Those gains enabled the party to reach the 218-seat threshold needed to retake control of the US House of Representatives from Republicans.
Lacore is expected to succeed Republican Representative Nancy Mace, who vacated the seat to launch an unsuccessful campaign for governor.
Lacore served as the 16th chief of the Navy Reserve. Her military career, which spanned several decades, ended after Hegseth removed her from command in August 2025, roughly a year after she took the position.
The dismissal was part of a leadership overhaul directed by the defense secretary. It ended Lacore’s oversight of naval reserve personnel, readiness training and integration into active-duty military operations.
The South Carolina result comes amid widespread Democratic gains in congressional and gubernatorial races. Voters unseated Republican incumbents in several longstanding conservative strongholds during Tuesday’s voting.
