Retired Admiral Nancy Lacore Projected to Win South Carolina House Seat
November 7, 2026
Military.com reports that Nancy Lacore, a Democrat and retired three-star Navy admiral dismissed in August by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was the projected winner Wednesday morning in the state's 1st Congressional District.
Key points
- The race: She was projected over Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt for the seat formerly held by Rep. Nancy Mace. Decision Desk HQ also projected a Lacore win, but the Associated Press had made no call as of 8:50 a.m. ET.
- Margin: With 99% of votes counted, Lacore led by roughly 3,350 votes, or about 1%.
- Recount: South Carolina requires a recount when the gap is 1% or less of votes cast. Lacore told supporters, "there will be a recount, and I welcome it."
- Background: Lacore served 35 years and supervised over 60,000 sailors while heading the Navy Reserve.
- Veterans on ballots: The group With Honor counted 752 veterans signed up to seek House or Senate seats, the most since it began tracking in 2018.
Quick take
Military.com notes that results become official only after certification, so the final outcome depends on the official count. The outlet also reports that Democrats won both the House and the Senate.
Read the full story at Military.com.