Former Navy Admiral Nancy Lacore Flips South Carolina House Seat After Hegseth Firing

Democrat Nancy Lacore, a retired Navy vice admiral fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last year, has defeated Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, according to projections by the Associated Press and NBC News released Friday.

Lacore led Honeycutt by more than 3,000 votes with all precincts reporting, according to the state’s election website. The win flips a seat long held by Republicans in a district President Donald Trump won by 13 points in 2024.

Lacore served 35 years in the Navy and rose to vice admiral, the Navy’s three-star rank, before Hegseth removed her as chief of the Navy Reserve in August 2025. The New York Times reported at the time that the Defense Department gave no explanation for the firing, which came as part of a series of dismissals of senior military leaders. USA Today reported she is one of roughly two dozen high-ranking military leaders Hegseth has purged or forced into retirement.

A campaign built on the firing

Lacore made the firing a centerpiece of her campaign, criticizing Hegseth for bringing politics and religion into the military. The message landed in a district with a large population of veterans and military families, USA Today reported.

The seat Nancy Mace gave up

The seat had been held since 2021 by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, who gave it up to run for governor. Mace finished fifth in the Republican primary for governor in June, according to People. Campaign finance reports show Lacore raised about $4.8 million during the race, while Honeycutt raised just under $1.3 million.

“Thirty-five years ago, I took an oath to serve this country. Tonight, South Carolina’s First Congressional District gave me the honor of continuing that service,” Lacore said in a statement on Nov. 4 declaring victory ahead of the official projections. She also said the latest returns from Dorchester County had widened her lead enough to put the race outside the margin for an automatic recount.

“In a district Donald Trump won by 13 points just two years ago, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents came together to demand something better from Washington,” Lacore said. “We have a lot of work to do in Congress and change isn’t going to happen overnight. But I will always be focused on serving with integrity and results.”

Reporting based on coverage by USA Today and People.