ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — An Albany native has been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives out of South Carolina. Democrat Nancy Lacore won the 2026 race for South Carolina District 1 against Republican Jenny Honeycutt.
Lacore graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names, located on New Scotland Road, in 1986. In addition to earning degrees from the College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts and San Diego State University, she is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the National Defense University.
In 1993, Lacore was designated as a naval aviator. Her flying tours included Helicopter Combat Support Squadrons in Norfolk, Virginia and San Diego, California, as well as the Helicopter Tactical Wing Pacific.
In 2000, she affiliated with the Navy Reserve, serving in the Naval Air Wing Pacific, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the International Security Assistance Force and several other assignments and tours. Lacore became the 16th Chief of Navy Reserve in 2024, overseeing more than 60,000 sailors.
After being fired from the position by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in 2025, the three-star admiral began running for the state’s 1st Congressional District. According to her campaign website, she platformed on affordability, supporting military service members and veterans, protecting the South Carolina coastline, protecting women’s reproductive rights, and improving the immigration system.
The Associated Press called the race between Lacore and Honeycutt on Friday just after 6:51 p.m., flipping the seat. She reportedly won the election with 162,103 votes, while Honeycutt, an attorney, had 158,751 votes.
Lacore visited the Academy of the Holy Names in 2023 to speak with the student body. Her alma mater released the following statement regarding her congressional win on Friday:
“We are proud to have played a part in her story, and we look forward to seeing how she continues to serve our country in this new chapter,” said Martin Kilbridge, president of Holy Names. “Nancy reminds our students that the lessons learned, values embraced, and relationships formed here can carry them farther than they might ever imagine.”
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