Ex-Admiral Dismissed by Pentagon Enters Decisive Congressional Primary Race

Former U.S. Navy Admiral Nancy Lacore, recently dismissed by the Secretary of Defense, has secured a spot in the runoff for the Democratic nomination in South Carolina's First Congressional District.

Lacore advanced past the first round of primaries, but her path to Congress is steep. She will face Coast Guard veteran Mac Deford in the June 23 runoff. The winner then confronts the daunting task of unseating the Republican incumbent in a district significantly gerrymandered to favor conservatives.

The district's political landscape was reshaped in 2021, turning it into a stronger Republican stronghold. The incumbent Republican, Nancy Mace, chose not to seek re-election, instead running unsuccessfully for governor.

Lacore's candidacy has gained traction partly due to her narrative as a victim of political purges. Her military career of 35 years was abruptly ended when she was dismissed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Lacore has publicly stated her dismissal lacked legal justification and occurred amid a wave of removals targeting officials whose security and intelligence assessments displeased the White House.

This controversial background has fueled her campaign, making her an effective fundraiser. She collected half a million dollars in her first two weeks and surpassed $1.4 million by the end of May. Lacore also benefits from strategic support from The Bench, an organization that backs a select group of 12 highly challenging national candidates.

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Lacore denounced publicly that her dismissal was carried out without any legal justification, occurring in a wave of replacements through which the administration eliminated military officials responsible for security and intelligence assessments that displeased the White House.