From Daniel Island to D.C.: What District 1 candidates say they’ll fight for
Voters in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District will elect a new representative to Washington this November.
The seat is currently held by Republican Nancy Mace, who is not seeking reelection after launching a campaign for governor. Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt, a Charleston County Council member, and Democrat Nancy Lacore, a retired Navy vice admiral, are among the candidates seeking to succeed her.
The district includes Daniel Island, Charleston, and portions of the surrounding Lowcountry down to Beaufort and Jasper counties. The winner will serve a two-year term in the U.S. House of Representatives, helping shape federal laws, spending, and policies affecting the district and the nation.
The Daniel Island News asked the Republican and Democratic nominees about their top goals and the issues they care about.
Q: What do you see as Daniel Island/Clements Ferry corridor’s number one issue you can impact as a U.S. representative?
Jenny Costa Honeycutt (R): Infrastructure. This area has experienced tremendous growth, and our roads and infrastructure must keep pace. In Congress, I will work with state and local leaders to secure our fair share of federal transportation dollars, improve connectivity and reduce congestion, while ensuring growth does not sacrifice the Lowcountry quality of life we love.
Nancy Lacore (D): Infrastructure keeping pace with growth, especially traffic and road safety. In Congress, I would work with state and local leaders to secure federal funding for transportation improvements and flood protection, then actually stay on top of projects to make sure those investments deliver results for our communities.
Q: What is your number one national priority?
Honeycutt: Restoring fiscal responsibility. Washington cannot continue spending money it does not have and passing the consequences to our children. I will work to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, rein in reckless spending, and help make life more affordable for families.
Lacore: Ending the war in Iran and protecting our national security. After 35 years in the Navy and having led nearly 60,000 sailors as Chief of the Navy Reserve, I know the responsibility of putting Americans in harm’s way. We need a clear plan to bring our servicemembers home safely, work with our allies, and prevent another open-ended war.
Q: Gas is nearing $5 a gallon. Groceries have risen to eye-raising prices. What will you do to stabilize the increasing prices of goods and services?
Honeycutt: Families cannot afford Washington making everything more expensive. I will fight reckless federal spending, reduce unnecessary regulations that increase the cost of doing business, and pursue policies that strengthen our supply chains. I also strongly support a temporary suspension of the state and federal gas tax.
Lacore: I would work to repeal tariffs that raise prices on everyday goods, reverse the “Big Beautiful Bill’s” cuts to Medicaid, and lower prescription drug costs by taking on drug companies and insurance middlemen. Families need immediate relief, and Washington should stop making it harder for them to get by.
Q: What is your personal temperament?
Honeycutt: Driven, pragmatic, and capable. I listen first, study the facts and then work toward a solution. As a mom, attorney, small business owner and local elected official, I have learned that leadership is not about getting attention. Leadership is about staying focused, treating people with respect and getting results. That is the leadership I offer.
Lacore: I’m calm under pressure, direct, and know how to listen. In the Navy, I led nearly 60,000 sailors and worked alongside people with different perspectives who had to work together to accomplish the mission. I ask questions, take responsibility, and focus on delivering results. We can disagree while treating each other with respect.
Q: Any issue that we didn't mention that you would like to discuss?
Honeycutt: Protecting and preserving the Lowcountry. I was raised here, have raised my family here, started a business here, and understand what makes this place special. Whether protecting our natural resources, supporting law enforcement, improving infrastructure or keeping our economy strong, every decision I make in Congress will begin with one question: What is best for the Lowcountry?
Lacore: We need to clean up the self-interest and corruption in Washington and get money out of politics. I do not own any stocks, and I support banning individual stock trading by members of Congress and senior executive branch officials, and I support term limits for members of Congress. Public service should be about serving people, not using your position to enrich yourself.