Admiral fired in Hegseth purge wins Democratic primary in South Carolina

Lead

A three-star Navy rear admiral who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last year has won the Democratic primary in a closely watched congressional race in South Carolina. Nancy Lacore secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in South Carolina's 1st congressional district on Tuesday, defeating Mac Deford, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, in a runoff. Her victory sets up an ambitious November bid to flip a Republican-held seat in the midterm elections.

Coverage Comparison

Two reports from The Guardian—one published before the runoff and one after—detail Lacore's rise from ousted military officer to Democratic nominee. Both accounts note her 35-year Navy career, her dismissal by Hegseth in August, and her support from veterans' groups and EMILYs List, which backs Democratic women who support abortion rights. They also highlight her fundraising: $500,000 raised in her first two weeks as a candidate and more than $1.4 million through late May, according to an analysis of federal campaign finance records by The New York Times. One report describes her as one of 12 House candidates backed by the Bench, a Democratic strategy group focused on competitive districts.

The coverage diverges in its framing of the broader context. The earlier report emphasizes Lacore's advancement to the runoff, while the post-victory article notes that she will now lead a "ambitious" Democratic effort to flip the seat. The latter also identifies Jenny Costa Honeycutt, a Charleston County council member, as the Republican nominee. Both reports mention that the seat is currently held by Republican Nancy Mace, who chose not to seek re-election to focus on her unsuccessful bid for governor.

Key Claims

Lacore was fired by Secretary Hegseth as part of his broader removal of senior military officials. The Washington Post reported last week that Hegseth had, without explanation, removed all women and several Black nominees from a Navy promotion list, resulting in an all-male, overwhelmingly white slate. This action is part of a pattern under Hegseth's leadership, which has also seen the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and the dismissal of officers perceived as too "woke." These broader claims are based on reporting from The Guardian and have not been independently verified by other outlets in the available sources.

Lacore's dismissal occurred on the same day that Hegseth fired Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Kruse was ousted after writing a preliminary analysis of U.S. military strikes on Iran in June 2025—an action that drew criticism from President Donald Trump, who claimed the strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear sites. This detail, reported by The Guardian, adds context to the administration's personnel actions.

Perspectives

From the perspective of Lacore's campaign, her military service and her dismissal by Hegseth are central to her appeal. Her support from veterans' groups and EMILYs List, along with her strong fundraising, suggests a well-organized campaign capable of competing in a challenging district. The Bench's backing indicates that Democrats see this as a winnable race despite the district's recent Republican dominance.

From the perspective of the Trump administration and its allies, the firings are framed as part of an effort to reshape the military, removing officials deemed disloyal or not aligned with the administration's vision. Hegseth's actions, such as the Navy promotion list changes, are presented as necessary steps to eliminate DEI initiatives and ensure the armed services reflect administration priorities.

For voters in South Carolina's 1st district, the race presents a clear choice between a Democrat with a distinguished military career and a Republican county council member who has aligned with the administration's agenda. The fact that Mace, the incumbent, chose to run for governor rather than seek re-election—and lost that bid—opens a rare competitive opportunity in a district that has voted Republican by double digits in recent elections.

As the campaign moves toward November, Lacore's ability to translate her national profile—boosted by her dismissal—into local voter support will be tested against a backdrop of national debates over military policy and the administration's personnel decisions.