--- title: "2026 South Carolina’s 1st District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-sc-01" updated: "2026-08-01" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 South Carolina’s 1st District race: Nancy Lacore (D) vs. Jenny Honeycutt (R) Rating: Likely R · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: August 1, 2026 South Carolina's 1st Congressional District features an open-seat matchup between Democratic nominee Nancy Lacore, a retired Navy Vice Admiral, and Republican nominee Jenny Honeycutt, a Charleston County Council member and attorney. The race hinges on the cost of living, coastal flood protections, border enforcement, healthcare affordability, and reproductive rights following incumbent Republican Nancy Mace's decision not to seek re-election. ## Candidates - **Nancy Lacore** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Nancy_Lacore) - **Jenny Honeycutt** (Republican) · [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jenny_Honeycutt) ## Issues ### Cost of Living Salience: high Lacore proposes targeted tax credits, childcare fee caps, and tariff removals, whereas Honeycutt emphasizes federal spending cuts, balancing the budget, and eliminating government waste. **Nancy Lacore:** Supports targeted relief and capping family costs Lacore proposes specific economic interventions to lower housing and healthcare expenses, support small businesses, and eliminate blanket tariffs that raise prices for families. She advocates capping childcare costs at 7 percent of household income and offering targeted tax credits for first-time homebuyers and small businesses. - End tariffs on building materials, ban corporate landlord algorithmic pricing software, and reduce homebuyer closing costs. - Support the HELPER Act, down payment tax credits, and caps on National Flood Insurance rate spikes. - Cap childcare costs at 7% of family income with quarterly tax credits and provide tax credits for childcare providers. - Expand small business tax credits and simplify access to federal loans and capital. > “I meet voters across the district who go to work every day, but are still forced to make impossible choices, like deciding whether to use their last $50 to buy groceries or pay for medicine.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) > “Childcare is one of the biggest drivers of the affordability crisis in SC-01 - often costing families as much as housing and forcing parents (particularly mothers) out of the workforce.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) **Jenny Honeycutt:** Supports fiscal responsibility and reducing federal spending Honeycutt pledges to combat skyrocketing costs by restoring federal fiscal discipline, curbing wasteful government spending, and balancing the budget. She argues that guarding taxpayer dollars and promoting sound fiscal management is the key to bringing affordability back to Lowcountry families. - Combat wasteful spending and work to balance the federal budget. - Eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs. - Promote policies to bring affordability back to Lowcountry families struggling with grocery, housing, and healthcare costs. > “Jenny knows families are struggling with skyrocketing costs – from groceries to housing to healthcare.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) > “As our Member of Congress, Jenny will combat wasteful spending, end waste, fraud, and abuse of government programs, restore fiscal discipline, and work to balance the budget.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ### Healthcare Salience: high Lacore advocates for expanding ACA subsidies and creating a public Medicare-like insurance option, while Honeycutt focuses broadly on lowering costs through general fiscal restraint. **Nancy Lacore:** Supports expanding ACA subsidies and Medicare options Lacore advocates for strengthening health coverage through enhanced ACA premium subsidies, reversing Medicaid cuts, and capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs. She also supports creating a non-profit public option patterned after Medicare and expanding the National Health Service Corps to recruit providers to rural areas. - Restore enhanced ACA premium subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts. - Cap annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs and expand Medicare price negotiations. - Offer all Americans a non-profit insurance option like Medicare while protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions. - Expand the National Health Service Corps to offer medical loan forgiveness in underserved rural communities. > “Offer all Americans a non-profit insurance option like Medicare, an insurance that prioritizes patients over profits.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) **Jenny Honeycutt:** Supports lowering healthcare costs for families Honeycutt identifies healthcare as one of the primary cost burdens facing Lowcountry families and commits to supporting policies that bring affordability back to family finances. - Champion policies to lower healthcare expenses alongside groceries and housing. > “Jenny knows families are struggling with skyrocketing costs – from groceries to housing to healthcare.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ### Immigration & Border Security Salience: high Lacore supports border security combined with strict ICE oversight, body cameras, and pathways to citizenship, while Honeycutt calls for securing the border to halt fentanyl and deport criminal illegal aliens. **Nancy Lacore:** Supports border security with ICE reform and citizenship pathways Lacore supports securing the border and streamlining immigration processing while implementing rigorous oversight for federal law enforcement agencies like ICE. She insists that ICE officers follow due process, wear body cameras, and operate safe facilities, while creating legal pathways to citizenship. - Streamline immigration processing to resolve asylum cases efficiently and fairly. - Mandate body cameras, visible badges, uncovered faces, and strict due process for ICE officers. - Ensure ICE facilities are humane, sanitary, and safe. - Provide clear legal pathways to citizenship. > “We cannot have federal law enforcement brutalizing citizens and intimidating immigrant communities in the streets.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) > “We can secure the border, enforce the law, and uphold our values at the same time.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) **Jenny Honeycutt:** Supports strict border enforcement and stopping illegal immigration Honeycutt prioritizes strict border security to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants and deadly illicit drugs like fentanyl. She pledges to stand with law enforcement and enforce the rule of law to keep Lowcountry neighborhoods safe. - Secure the U.S. border to stop the flow of illegal immigration and illicit fentanyl. - Support law enforcement policies that remove violent criminals from the streets. - Enforce the rule of law across communities and borders. > “This includes ensuring our border is secure – stopping the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl and criminal illegal aliens from harming our families, our neighborhoods, and our economy.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ### Abortion & Reproductive Rights Salience: high Lacore seeks to codify federal abortion rights and protect family planning choices, whereas Honeycutt pledges an uncompromising pro-life defense of the unborn. **Nancy Lacore:** Supports codifying federal abortion rights Lacore advocates for enacting statutory protections for women's reproductive freedom nationwide. Drawing on her experience raising five daughters, she argues that medical and family planning decisions belong between women, their doctors, and their families without government intervention. - Enact federal legislation guaranteeing women's reproductive freedom and abortion rights. - Protect access to full family planning resources without government interference. > “Our government should not be interfering with the decisions a woman makes behind closed doors with her doctor and her family.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) > “I will work to guarantee women’s reproductive freedom in law.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) **Jenny Honeycutt:** Opposes abortion and protects the unborn Honeycutt takes an uncompromising pro-life stance, asserting that human life is sacred from its earliest stages and promising to be a steadfast advocate for unborn children in Congress. - Advocate for unborn children and support pro-life legislation. > “Jenny believes every life is precious and deserving of protection, and she will be a steadfast advocate for the unborn.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ### Coastal Protection & Environment Salience: medium Lacore supports a permanent ban on East Coast offshore drilling and federal investments in coastal resilience, while Honeycutt frames conservation around protecting natural resources while preserving individual liberties. **Nancy Lacore:** Supports offshore drilling bans and coastal resilience funding Lacore makes coastal protection a centerpiece of her platform, advocating for a permanent ban on East Coast offshore drilling and federal investments in living shorelines. She also supports clean energy expansion, protecting heirs property, expanding conservation easement tax credits, and safeguarding flood insurance affordability. - Support a permanent ban on East Coast offshore drilling. - Invest in living shorelines for flood mitigation and expand clean energy. - Protect heirs property, expand tax credits for conservation easements, and maintain U.S. Forest Service funding. - Incentivize insurers to enter coastal markets to lower home and flood insurance costs. > “This is no different than defending America’s freedom. It’s about safeguarding the waters and land for future generations;” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) > “Support a permanent ban on east coast offshore drilling.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) **Jenny Honeycutt:** Supports conserving natural resources while protecting freedoms Honeycutt emphasizes her personal passion for outdoor recreation and supports conserving the Lowcountry's natural resources while balancing environmental stewardship with personal freedoms. - Conserve natural resources while safeguarding individual freedoms. > “As an avid outdoors person, Jenny understands the importance of conserving our natural resources while defending our freedoms.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ### Government Reform & Campaign Finance Salience: medium Lacore advocates overturning Citizens United and banning congressional stock trading, whereas Honeycutt emphasizes enforcing constitutional separation of powers and stopping government overreach. **Nancy Lacore:** Supports overturning Citizens United and congressional stock bans Lacore calls for comprehensive campaign finance reform, including overturning Citizens United to reduce corporate money in politics. She also supports banning members of Congress, executive branch officials, and their spouses from trading individual stocks. - Support overturning Citizens United and overhaul the federal campaign finance system. - Ban individual stock trading for members of Congress, executive officials, and their spouses. > “I fully support overturning Citizens United and reforming our country’s campaign finance system entirely. I also support a ban on trading individual stocks for members of Congress and their spouses, Executive Branch officials, and their senior staff.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) **Jenny Honeycutt:** Supports ending government overreach and clickbait politics Honeycutt pledges to restore constitutional boundaries by curbing government overreach, safeguarding free speech and religious liberty, and ensuring an impartial justice system. She emphasizes serious governance over clickbait political stunts. - Stop government overreach and protect free speech, religious liberty, and the separation of powers. - Ensure an impartial justice system and uphold the Bill of Rights without compromise. - Focus on serious policy results rather than clickbait politics and headline chasing. > “From protecting free speech to safeguarding religious liberty to stopping government overreach to ensuring an impartial justice system and the separation of powers, Jenny will stand firm every day in Congress.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ### Military, Veterans & Public Servants Salience: medium Lacore proposes tax cuts for active-duty military, maximum VA wait times, and housing assistance for first responders and teachers, while Honeycutt emphasizes her record of standing with local law enforcement. **Nancy Lacore:** Supports expanding military pay and veteran benefits Drawing on her 35-year Navy career, Lacore outlines proposals to reduce federal income taxes for active-duty military, adjust housing allowances, and cap VA appointment wait times. She also supports extending post-separation TRICARE coverage and expanding competitive pay and housing access for first responders and teachers. - Explore federal income tax reductions for active-duty military and improve housing allowance calculations. - Establish maximum wait times for VA appointments and extend TRICARE coverage 12 months post-separation. - Expand GI Bill use for non-traditional education and create backstops against veteran home foreclosures. - Support the HELPER Act to assist first responders and teachers with home purchases. > “Service members, veterans, and those who keep our communities running (such as first responders and teachers) deserve competitive pay so they can afford homes in the communities they serve.” > — Nancy Lacore, via [Campaign site](https://www.nancylacore.com) **Jenny Honeycutt:** Supports standing with law enforcement Honeycutt highlights her record on the Charleston County Council, emphasizing her support for law enforcement officers and community safety. - Stand with law enforcement officers and support policies that keep communities safe. > “In public office, Jenny has balanced budgets, stood with law enforcement, defended the Constitution, and led with integrity.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ### Constitutional Rights & Culture Issues Salience: low **Nancy Lacore:** No documented position in our sources **Jenny Honeycutt:** Supports Second Amendment and restricting trans women in sports Honeycutt promises an uncompromising defense of the Bill of Rights, specifically supporting Second Amendment gun rights and advocating for policies that restrict biological men from participating in women's sports. - Defend Second Amendment gun rights without compromise. - Protect women's athletics by keeping biological men out of women's sports. > “As a girls’ sports coach and former collegiate athlete, Jenny is committed to keeping men out of women’s sports.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) > “The Bill of Rights is not negotiable – and Jenny will ensure it remains fully protected. She is a proven free speech advocate and defender of the Second Amendment.” > — Jenny Honeycutt, via [Campaign site](http://jennycostahoneycutt.com/) ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/sc-01-house-election-winner) — SC-01 House Election Winner: Republicans 51.0%, Democrats 49.0% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/KXHOUSERACE-SC01-26) — SC-01 House winner?: Jenny Honeycutt 52.0%, Nancy Lacore 48.0% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-sc-01)