Nancy Lacore leads the SC-01 Democratic primary field with strong fundraising totals exceeding $1 million and her background as a retired Navy admiral, giving her an edge in name recognition and resources ahead of the June 9 primary. Mac Deford, a Coast Guard veteran and former local counsel who ran in 2024, follows as the clearest challenger after securing multiple county party chair endorsements and demonstrating competitive early support. The remaining candidates trail due to lower visibility and funding. A recent candidate debate highlighted shared concerns over proposed Republican redistricting efforts that could affect the district’s competitiveness, but no late shifts have altered the frontrunner’s position in trader assessments.