Navy admiral fired by Hegseth wins his former critic's House seat in South Carolina
Retired Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, purged by Pete Hegseth in 2025, flips Nancy Mace's red South Carolina district as a Democrat.
What to know
- Nancy Lacore, a retired three-star Navy vice admiral fired by Hegseth without explanation in 2025, won South Carolina's 1st Congressional District as a Democrat, a seat Trump carried by 13 points in 2024.
- Congress could soon vote on a Massie-introduced measure to impeach Hegseth, and Lacore will be among those casting a vote.
- Her win is part of a broader surge of military veterans running for Congress, including a record number of women veterans.
- Lacore has said she wants a seat on the House Armed Services Committee and has criticized Hegseth's Pentagon purges and handling of promotions.
Lacore's win is poetic justice or revenge against Hegseth for firing her.
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“BREAKING: SWEET REVENGE! The Navy Admiral who Pete Hegseth fired DEFEATS her MAGA opponent to win a House seat in South Carolina — cementing the blue tsunami with a poetic flourish!”
@OccupyDemocrats · X ↗
Her election matters practically because she may get to vote on impeaching Hegseth.
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“Pete Hegseth fired Navy admiral Nancy Lacore. Voters sent her to Congress. Now she can vote to impeach him...🔥”
@essenviews · X ↗
Experienced senior officers like Lacore bring valuable perspective for fixing and rebuilding trust in the military.
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“absolutely experienced senior officers involved would be valuable when it comes to understanding what needs fixing and how to rebuild trust within the military”
Prudent_Row_6970 · Reddit ↗
“Service has been my life and this is just another way to serve.”
Nancy Lacore, Congresswoman-elect, SC-1 · The Washington Sun ↗ · Nov 5
Nancy Lacore Democrat, congresswoman-elect, SC-1
Pete Hegseth U.S. Defense Secretary
Nancy Mace Outgoing Republican U.S. Representative, SC-1
Thomas Massie U.S. Representative (R-Ky.)Jenny Costa Honeycutt Republican congressional candidate, SC-1
How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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Race officially called; Lacore eyes Armed Services Committee
The Washington Sun confirmed the race had been called for Lacore and reported she has expressed interest in serving on the House Armed Services Committee; Mace had congratulated her on X ahead of the call.
“I did not from the moment he was confirmed. And I think he's just demonstrating that, over and over and over.”
— Nancy Lacore, Congresswoman-elect, SC-1 · source -
They have finally called the race to fill noted crazy person Nancy Mace’s House seat down here. It went to the Democrat, Nancy Lacore, a retired admiral Pete Hegseth drove out of the Navy last year. https://www. washingtonsun.com/campaigns/na ncy-lacore-nancy-mace-south-carolina-district # USPol
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Commentators link Lacore's win to a possible impeachment vote
Posts and commentary noted Lacore could soon cast a vote on the impeachment measure against the man who fired her.
“Pete Hegseth fired Navy admiral Nancy Lacore. Voters sent her to Congress. Now she can vote to impeach him...🔥…”
— @essenviews -
Pete Hegseth fired Navy admiral Nancy Lacore. Voters sent her to Congress. Now she can vote to impeach him...🔥
2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
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Hegseth fired three-star Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore without cause in August 2025. Then she launched a Democratic congressional campaign in a red district, running in part on a message that condemned Hegseth. Then she won. https://www. ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/madd owblog/nancy-lacore-pete-hegseth-navy-south-carolina-congress-midterm-elections
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absolutely experienced senior officers involved would be valuable when it comes to understanding what needs fixing and how to rebuild trust within the military
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Baltimore Sun details vote totals in the race
Reporting put Lacore's vote share at 161,878 votes, or 49.65%, in the race to represent South Carolina's First Congressional District.
“She is now the Congresswoman elect in SC 1 replacing Nancy Mace. She will be important in his impeachment…”
— @Kaos_Vs_Control, X user · source -
first by Baltimore Sun, 3d ago · also Joe.My.God., The Hill
3 more headlines
- Admiral Fired By Hegseth Flips Mace's House Seat Joe.My.God. · 3d ago
- Former Navy Admiral Fired by Hegseth Projected to Flip Republican House Seat in South Carolina Military.com · 3d ago
- Navy admiral fired by Hegseth flips Mace's South Carolina seat The Hill · 3d ago
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The Navy Admiral who Pete Hegseth fired, Nancy Lacore, a 35-year Navy veteran, last night defeated her MAGA republican opponent to win a House seat - South Carolina District 1. Now he has to answer to her in Congress
1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
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This is retired 3-Star Navy Admiral Nancy Lacore fired after 35 years of service by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for not being loyal to Trump. She is now the Congresswoman elect in SC 1 replacing Nancy Mace. She will be important in his impeachment
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Social media erupts over the symbolism of Lacore's win
Democratic-aligned accounts framed the result as poetic revenge against Hegseth, noting Trump had won the district by 13 points in 2024.
“BREAKING: SWEET REVENGE! The Navy Admiral who Pete Hegseth fired DEFEATS her MAGA opponent to win a House seat in South Carolina — cementing the blue tsunami with a poetic flourish!”
— @OccupyDemocrats -
BREAKING: SWEET REVENGE! The Navy Admiral who Pete Hegseth fired DEFEATS her MAGA opponent to win a House seat in South Carolina — cementing the blue tsunami with a poetic flourish! This is just too beautiful... Democrat Nancy Lacore, a 35-year Navy veteran who rose through the
1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
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Democrat Nancy Lacore, a retired Navy admiral who was FIRED by Pete Hegseth, is projected to WIN the congressional seat formerly held by Republican Nancy Mace, according to Decision Desk HQ. Trump won this district by 13 POINTS in 2024! Lacore, who served more than 30 years in
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Decision Desk HQ projects Lacore flips Mace's seat
Lacore, running as a Democrat, is projected to win South Carolina's 1st Congressional District against Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt, a seat vacated by Nancy Mace after her unsuccessful gubernatorial bid.
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2 outlets first by Political.org, 4d ago · also Hindustan Times · read ↗
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first by Newsweek, 3d ago
1 more headline
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background
Massie introduces measure to impeach Hegseth — Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced an impeachment measure against Hegseth over hostilities with Iran conducted without congressional approval, setting up a forced vote.
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background
Lacore publicly criticizes Hegseth's fitness for the job — Speaking on former DNC chair Jaime Harrison's podcast "At Our Table," Lacore said she never believed Hegseth was qualified and criticized his purge of Pentagon leadership and micromanagement of promotions.
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background
Hegseth fires Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore without explanation — Lacore, a 35-year Navy veteran and chief of the Navy Reserve, was among more than a dozen senior military officers ousted by Hegseth; she says she was given no reason for her firing.