The race to fill gubernatorial candidate Nancy Mace’s 1st district congressional seat got its first jolt of real news this week when popular Mount Pleasant Republican Mayor Will Haynie crossed party lines to endorse Democratic candidate Nancy Lacore.
“I know voters in Mount Pleasant want resiliency, they want conservation, and they want transportation and infrastructure,” Haynie said at Lacore’s April 8 campaign kick-off in Charleston. “We will have Nancy there supporting us in these endeavors, and she will put country before party.
“If she was a Republican, I’d be backing her. If she was an independent, I’d be backing her. This is not a party statement.”
Lacore, a retired rear admiral who was among the military officers fired without explanation by President Donald Trump when he began his second term, moved to the Lowcountry after her service ended last year. She is one of 18 major party candidates, including former Gov. and 1st District Rep. Mark Sanford seeking the open seat.
John Cassibry, campaign manager for fellow Democratic candidate Mac Deford, seemed to suggest the endorsement raised questions about Lacore’s party loyalty.
“This is the same Mayor Haynie who endorsed Republican Nancy Mace over Democratic incumbent Joe Cunningham, helping Republicans unseat him,” Cassibry said in a statement. “Now he’s endorsing Nancy Lacore, a lifelong Republican who recently changed parties and moved to the Lowcountry to run for this seat and a candidate he met only a few months ago. Make of that what you will.”
South Carolina’s 2026 primary elections are set for June 9.
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