A former Navy admiral who was removed from her post by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is running for Congress. Nancy Lacore, who served in the Navy for more than three decades, announced her candidacy in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is running for Governor of South Carolina. Lacore registered to run as a Democrat. “After decades of service to our country, a career that started as a Navy pilot and finished as a three star admiral, I was removed from my position without cause,” Lacore wrote on X. “I still have more to give, more to fight for, more work to do — and I am not done serving,” she added. “Our leaders in Congress are not working for us,” Lacore said in her campaign announcement video. “They have lost the courage to act, to fight for and to serve the people they represent,” she continued. Check it out: After decades of service to our country, a career that started as a Navy pilot and finished as a three star admiral, I was removed from my position without cause. I still have more to give, more to fight for, more work to do — and I am not done serving. Join my team at… pic.twitter.com/Sv2TI62Pyj — Nancy Lacore (@nancylacore) January 20, 2026 ABC News has more: Lacore was removed in August, along with Rear Adm. Milton Sands, who led the Naval Special Warfare Command, and Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, who led the Defense Intelligence Agency and oversaw the DIA’s preliminary assessment of the U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear sites. The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday when asked about Lacore’s claim she was fired without cause. South Carolina’s 1st District, a right-leaning seat that includes Charleston, was won by President Donald Trump in 2024 and 2020. The election to succeed Mace will be extremely crowded as over a dozen candidates have entered the race thus far. Retired Navy Rear Admiral Nancy Lacore of Mount Pleasant is joining at least 14 other candidates running for S.C.'s coastal 1st Congressional District.https://t.co/uYvaY7bL25 — Charleston City Paper (@ChasCityPaper) January 21, 2026 The Hill shared further: The deadline to file in the race is March 30, with the primary set for June 9. The Democratic field includes Coast Guard veteran Mac Deford, who lost the 2024 Democratic primary in the district. On the Republican side, physician Sam McCown and retired Air Force Col. Alex Pelbath are among a crowded group of candidates. As of last February, the Cook Political Report rated the seat as solidly Republican.