BREAKING: Cook Political Report, Inside Elections Shift SC-01 Toward Admiral Nancy Lacore as Competition for the Lowcountry Seat Heats Up
Press Release | october 16, 2026CONTACT:Kaylie Haberstroh | kaylie@nancylacore.com
Mount Pleasant, SC – Today, following retired Rear Admiral Nancy Lacore’s second winning debate performance, the Cook Political Report upgraded the race for South Carolina’s first congressional district from “Likely Republican” to “Lean Republican,” as Nancy continues building momentum among voters across party lines around her issue-focused campaign and decades-long record of nonpartisan leadership in the final weeks before Election Day.
“One of the reddest seats flipped by a Democrat in 2018, South Carolina’s 1st District once again looks in play this cycle,” wrote Erin Covey with the Cook Political Report. “Democrats’ nominee, retired Navy admiral Nancy Lacore has raised a considerable sum over the past year, giving her an early spending advantage over Republicans’ nominee, Charleston County Councilmember Jenny Costa Honeycutt. Honeycutt is now benefiting from coordinated spending from the NRCC and outside help from the Congressional Leadership Fund, making it clear that both parties view this as a competitive race… Honeycutt’s record on local real estate development — and her support for the construction of data centers — has given Democrats a potent line of attack…We’re moving this from Likely to Lean Republican.
Today’s rating change from Cook is the second time the nonpartisan race rater has moved SC-01 toward Nancy, underscoring the growing competition for the seat and reinforcing polling showing Nancy leading her opponent, Jenny Costa Honeycutt.
Cook’s assessment follows a similar upgrade from Inside Elections, which moved SC-01 from “Likely Republican” to “Lean Republican” on October 15. Noting that the Congressional Leadership Fund is sending reinforcements to support Honeycutt in a close race, Inside Elections wrote, “Lacore has outpaced her in fundraising, and the political environment is only getting worse for the GOP.”
With less than three weeks until Election Day, these ratings shifts reflect the energy that Nancy is feeling from voters on the ground: South Carolinians are tired of failed Washington politics, and are ready for a fresh perspective in Congress.
“I’ve been traveling around the Lowcountry hearing from my neighbors throughout my campaign, and every conversation I’ve had on a front porch or at a town hall has told me what race raters confirmed this week. South Carolina families are tired of political games from corrupt leaders in Washington, they’re hungry for change and they know that Jenny Honeycutt will only offer more of the same,” Nancy said. “The Lowcountry’s priorities have been taken off the table for too long, and we’re done being left behind by Congress. I’m so proud of the work we’ve done to put partisan politics behind us and unite our community around the belief that, with the right leaders, we can restore faith in our government and deliver the selfless service the Lowcountry deserves.”
Nancy’s committed servant leadership as a Navy Admiral has set her far apart from her data-center-defender opponent, propelling her ahead in the polls and making her race one of the most competitive in the country. Her proven track record of service to this country, combined with her pragmatic approach to key issues facing her district, has earned her bipartisan support from over 40 local and national leaders and organizations and has poised her as the candidate best fit to flip SC-01.
Nancy Lacore served our nation for 35 years in the Navy, a career that began as a helicopter pilot and culminated as a three star admiral and the Chief of Navy Reserve where she was entrusted to lead more than 60,000 sailors. She spent her career juggling her military service with raising her six children, eventually moving from active duty to the Navy Reserve where she was deployed twice – to Afghanistan in 2011, and to Djibouti in 2017. When Pete Hegseth removed her from her post without explanation in 2025, she decided to continue her service to our country in Congress. A commitment to service, family, and country has shaped every chapter of Nancy’s life, and it continues to guide what comes next. Nancy wore the uniform for 35 years, but her dedication to this country and its people didn’t end when she took it off. In this next chapter, Nancy is ready to put her experience, her values, and her voice to work for every family in South Carolina’s first congressional district.
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