Nancy Lacore Wins South Carolina Congressional Seat After 43-Year Republican Hold
Nancy Lacore made history in South Carolina's congressional election by flipping a seat held by Republicans for 43 out of the last 45 years.

Nancy Lacore, the newly elected congresswoman from South Carolina, made history by flipping a seat held by Republicans for 43 out of the last 45 years. Her win was by a narrow margin of just over 3,000 votes.
Lacore credits her campaign's focus on building a broad coalition as key to her success. Early on, her team secured an endorsement from a Republican mayor in Mount Pleasant, the largest municipality in the district. This move helped set the tone for reaching out to Independents and moderate Republicans who were crucial to winning the election.
As a Democrat, Lacore's background is notable - she was previously registered as a Republican until 2016. Her decision to leave the party was motivated by her disagreement with Donald Trump's policies, but she declined to elaborate further on this aspect of her past.
Lacore's campaign strategy was centered around appealing to voters beyond traditional Democratic Party lines. By securing endorsements from within the opposing party and targeting Independents and moderate Republicans, Lacore's team aimed to build a winning coalition that would carry her to victory in a district with a long history of Republican dominance.
Lacore's team has been working on building a coalition that would carry her to victory in a district with a long history of bipartisan support. This strategy involves securing endorsements from within the opposing party and targeting Independents and moderate Republicans.
The new Congress is expected to have a significant majority, which Lacore believes will provide opportunities for progress on key issues. With many veterans now elected to office, she notes that they tend to focus on achieving their mission rather than being bound by partisan politics. This non-partisan approach could potentially lead to more effective collaboration across party lines.
Lacore's campaign promises included reducing the cost of housing, medical care, and healthcare, as well as eliminating tax breaks for data centers. She also plans to address rising costs driven by the ongoing war and tariffs imposed on various goods.
The One Big Beautiful Bill has both positive and negative aspects, according to Rep.-elect Nancy Lacore. While she is enthusiastic about provisions that exempt tips and Social Security from taxation, she acknowledges that other parts of the bill have had a detrimental effect on affordability.
Lacore emphasized her support for tax breaks, specifically mentioning the exemption of tips and Social Security from taxes as a beneficial aspect of the bill. When asked to clarify her stance on this issue, she confirmed her intention to extend these tax benefits.
The imposition of tariffs through executive order has been a contentious issue in Congress, with Rep.-elect Lacore pointing out that they were not authorized by lawmakers. This has led to confusion and debate over who is responsible for the tariffs' implementation.
With corruption and cost of living being major concerns among voters, Rep.-elect Lacore stressed the need for unity across party lines on these issues. She noted that Americans are looking for accountability from their leaders, but also want them to address pressing problems without taking drastic measures.
The public's desire for accountability is clear, but what does it mean in practice? Rep-elect Nancy Lacore suggests that accountability can take different forms depending on the specific issue at hand. She acknowledges that there are areas where corruption and insider trading have been prevalent.
One such area is stock trading by elected officials, a practice that has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Lacore notes that putting rules in place to prevent this type of behavior would be an important step towards greater accountability. By doing so, she aims to restore public trust in government.
As the highest-ranking female military officer ever elected to Congress, Lacore brings a unique perspective to Capitol Hill. She will be taking her seat alongside other lawmakers who have not experienced service as high-ranking officers before. In fact, no female admiral or general has ever served in such positions previously.
Lacore's own experience with the Navy Reserve is also noteworthy. She was relieved of her position as chief in August 2025 by Secretary Hegseth, who has since announced plans to cut the number of high-ranking officers by 20 percent and end diversity initiatives. Lacore claims that she was not given a reason for her removal from office, a situation that seems to be consistent with the treatment of other generals and admirals at the time.
The controversy surrounding Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth continues to escalate as he releases a video defending his actions amidst attempts to oust him from office.
In the video, Hegseth emphasizes the importance of unity within the military, stating that diversity is not its strength but rather its unity that matters. He also asserts that men and women should be held to the same standards in the military, despite acknowledging their differences. Furthermore, he labels being transgender as a mental illness.
Rep.-elect Nancy Lacore has been vocal about her opposition to Hegseth's leadership, calling him "the most unqualified secretary" in US history. She claims that Hegseth has caused significant damage to the country and its military readiness by focusing on the wrong issues. Lacore believes that Hegseth's priorities are misguided and have put the nation at risk.
The debate over Hegseth's leadership has reached a boiling point, with some members of Congress exploring impeachment proceedings against him. Rep.-elect Lacore is among those advocating for action to be taken against the Secretary of Defense, citing his unfitness for office as a major concern.
As Rep.-elect Nancy Lacore prepares to take office, she is already sounding the alarm about the Secretary of Defense's unfitness for his position. In a recent interview, Lacore expressed her concerns that the current state of affairs will not change before she assumes her new role.
Lacore attributes the problems facing the country to corruption and a lack of strategy, which she believes are driving up costs for citizens. The war is seen as one major issue contributing to these problems, with Venezuela being another area of concern. These issues have far-reaching consequences that affect people's daily lives.
The incoming congresswoman-elect has already made history with her election, and her personal story is just as remarkable. A mother of six, Lacore brings a unique perspective to the table, one that will undoubtedly shape her approach to governance.
Facts based on reporting originally published by CBS News World.
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