Rep.-elect Nancy Lacore, a retired Vice Admiral who flipped a seat in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District that Republicans held for 43 of the last 45 years, outlined her legislative priorities in an interview on CBS’s "Face the Nation." Winning by approximately 3,000 votes, Lacore stated that her immediate focus in the incoming Congress will be ending the ongoing war and repealing tariffs she argues have driven up costs for housing and healthcare.
Lacore, who was the highest-ranking female military officer elected to Congress, said her campaign success relied on a broad coalition including Independents and moderate Republicans. She noted that her 35 years of nonpartisan military leadership helped bridge partisan divides in the district. She also addressed her removal from the position of Chief of the Navy Reserve by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in August 2025, stating she was not given a reason for the dismissal but that it opened the door for her congressional run.
What the Left Is Saying
Lacore, running as a Democrat, emphasized economic relief and institutional reform as central to her agenda. She argued that the current war and associated tariffs are primary drivers of inflation affecting everyday Americans. "We have to unite around the issues that all Americans are facing right now, regardless of what our party is," Lacore said. "When we go to Congress and make sure that we can deliver on bringing the cost of living down, because that is affecting every American."
She also highlighted the need for anti-corruption measures, specifically calling for a ban on stock trading by elected officials and the overturning of Citizens United to remove dark money from politics. "We need to put some rules in place to make sure that our elected officials are not trading stocks. That is one area that we've seen, I think, extensive corruption there with insider information," Lacore stated. She further noted that while she supports certain aspects of the "One Big Beautiful Bill," such as tax breaks on tips and Social Security, she insists these must be made permanent to avoid expiration at the end of the current administration.
What the Right Is Saying
The interview featured a clip from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a key figure in the Trump administration, defending his policies and addressing calls for his impeachment. Hegseth argued that his initiatives are focused on rebuilding the force and maintaining standards. "Diversity is not our strength; our unity is. Men and women, they're not the same thing, but in the military, they must be held to the same standard," Hegseth said in the recorded segment. He characterized being transgender as a mental illness and dismissed references to "white rage," framing his actions as necessary for military cohesion.
Lacore herself offered a perspective that resonated with some conservative principles of fiscal and military pragmatism. A registered Republican until 2016, she stated she left the party due to Donald Trump but sees opportunities for bipartisan cooperation with the new Congress. "As veterans, we don't really care what your political affiliation is. We just focus on achieving the mission," Lacore said. She noted that many newly elected veterans in Congress share this nonpartisan approach to governance, suggesting that military discipline could translate into legislative efficiency regardless of party lines.
What the Numbers Show
Lacore won the South Carolina 1st District seat by a margin of approximately 3,000 votes, flipping a seat that had been held by Republicans for 43 of the last 45 years. According to exit polling cited during the broadcast, nine out of ten voters identified government corruption as a crucial or major factor in their voting decisions, ranking it alongside the cost of living as a top concern. Lacore’s removal from the Navy Reserve occurred in August 2025, coinciding with Secretary Hegseth’s announcement of plans to cut high-ranking officer positions by 20 percent and end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the Department of Defense.
The transcript notes that the current administration’s policies include the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which includes temporary tax breaks on tips and Social Security. Lacore identified the expiration of these breaks as a risk to affordability. Additionally, she cited the ongoing war and executive order-imposed tariffs as significant contributors to rising costs, particularly in the housing and healthcare sectors, though specific inflation data points were not detailed in the interview.
The Bottom Line
Lacore’s election signals a potential shift in South Carolina politics and introduces a veteran-focused voice to the incoming Congress that prioritizes economic relief over partisan ideology. Her stated goal of ending the war and repealing tariffs sets up a likely conflict with the Trump administration’s foreign and trade policies, particularly given her explicit criticism of Defense Secretary Hegseth’s leadership and her support for his impeachment. With a narrow electoral victory, her ability to deliver on promises to moderate Republicans and Independents will depend on navigating the entrenched partisan dynamics in Washington while leveraging her nonpartisan military background.