Retired Navy Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore and Charleston County Council member Jenny Costa Honeycutt squared off in a heated debate over the economy and foreign policy, as the two candidates vying for South Carolina's open 1st Congressional District seat made their closing arguments ahead of early voting. The coastal district, long a Republican stronghold, is now the site of one of the most closely watched House races in the state.
The seat opened up after Republican Rep. Nancy Mace decided against seeking re-election and instead ran for governor of South Carolina, where she finished fifth in the June 2026 Republican primary, according to AP News. Mace had held the coastal seat since 2020, winning re-election in both 2022 and 2024. Her departure left Republicans and Democrats alike scrambling to fill a district that, per the Post and Courier, has been carried by double-digit Republican margins in both 2022 and 2024.
Lacore, the Democratic nominee, brings a 35-year military record to the race. She is a retired Navy vice admiral and former Chief of Navy Reserve who was dismissed from her command in August 2025 by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to The Guardian. She commanded more than 50,000 sailors and deployed to Afghanistan and Djibouti before entering politics. Honeycutt, her Republican opponent, is an attorney and James Island native who has eight years of experience on Charleston County Council.
Economy and Inflation Take Center Stage
Affordability dominated much of the debate, with the candidates splitting sharply over trade policy and rising costs. Honeycutt defended targeted manufacturing tariffs and placed blame for rising prices on federal debt, while Lacore pushed for a temporary gas tax suspension and argued tariffs were squeezing working-class families, the Post and Courier reported. The exchange reflected what Lowcountry polling has identified as voters' top concern heading into the election.
The candidates also diverged on foreign policy, particularly ongoing U.S. military engagement with Iran. Lacore called the action an unneeded “war of choice” lacking a clear exit strategy, according to South Carolina Public Radio, while Honeycutt argued the engagement was necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Lacore drew directly on her decades of naval service and prior deployments to frame her critique of the overseas strategy, the station noted.
Rare Agreement on Tech Oversight
Despite their disagreements, the two found some common ground on technology policy. Both candidates agreed that national guardrails are needed for artificial intelligence and that local municipalities should retain authority over data center developments, per the Post and Courier's account of the debate. The issue carries added weight locally, as rapid data center expansion has stirred environmental and energy grid concerns across the region.
Campaign Dispute Over Attack Ad
The policy sparring was overshadowed in the campaign's final stretch by a dispute over an advertisement. Honeycutt's campaign demanded that Lacore take down an ad about Honeycutt's votes and legal clients, the Post and Courier reported. The dispute surfaced shortly before early voting was scheduled to begin across South Carolina on Oct. 19.
Money Pours In From Outside Groups
On the fundraising front, Lacore raised more than $1.4 million through late May, according to The Guardian. Outside groups have also spent money in the race.
The district's conservative lean remains the central obstacle for Lacore's campaign. SC-1 spans coastal communities from Charleston to Beaufort and briefly elected a Democrat in 2018 before reverting to Republican control, according to the Charleston City Paper. With early voting set to begin Oct. 19, Lowcountry residents have until Election Day on Nov. 3 to weigh the admiral's national security credentials against the councilwoman's local government record before deciding who will represent them in Washington.
