Navy admiral fired in Hegseth purge wins Democratic primary in South Carolina

A high-ranking Navy official, dismissed last year as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's purge of senior military personnel, has secured the Democratic nomination for a U.S. House seat in South Carolina. Rear Adm. Nancy Lacore won the primary election for South Carolina's first congressional district on Tuesday.

Lacore defeated Mac Deford, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, in a runoff election. Her victory sets the stage for a challenging general election in November, where she aims to flip the Republican-held seat. The district's current representative, Republican Nancy Mace, opted not to seek re-election, instead focusing on her unsuccessful bid for South Carolina governor.

Jenny Costa Honeycutt, a Charleston county council member, secured the Republican nomination for the same seat. Lacore was among numerous officers removed from senior military positions during Hegseth's tenure. These dismissals targeted individuals perceived as having clashed with the Trump administration or not aligning with the defense secretary's vision for the armed services.

Lacore has garnered support from various veterans' groups and EMILYs List, an organization backing Democratic pro-choice candidates. Her campaign has shown strong fundraising, collecting $500,000 in her initial two weeks and over $1.4 million by late May, according to federal campaign finance records analyzed by The New York Times. She is also among 12 House candidates receiving strategic guidance from The Bench, a Democratic group focused on competitive districts.