In just the past week, two Democratic primary challengers have officially launched campaigns in hopes of unseating Republican incumbent Nancy Mace in the Lowcountry’s 1st Congressional District race.
Attorney and Coast Guard veteran Mac Deford held a rally Wednesday night on Hilton Head Island and is expected to do so again Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Tradesman Brewing Company in Charleston.
“The 2024 elections will be a defining moment for our country,” Deford said in a press release. “We will decide if we uphold our democratic values or drift towards a darker chapter.”
The 34-year-old says he will travel the Lowcountry over the next few months, engaging with voters to try to understand their concerns. He says he’ll focus on issues like women’s reproductive rights, infrastructure improvements, affordable housing and environmental protections.
Deford’s campaign launch comes just days after former International African American Museum president Michael B. Moore held a rally in Beaufort. The 61-year-old touts a family history of public service.
He is the great-great grandson of Robert Smalls, a Civil War hero who commandeered a confederate ship in the Charleston Harbor in 1862 and went on to serve the Lowcountry in Congress. His ancestors also include Judge Harold Boulware who litigated the Briggs v. Elliott case and served on the legal team that won Brown v. Board of Education.
“Partisan gerrymandering and election lies have undermined voting rights across the country,” says Moore on his campaign website. “Too many families are feeling left behind, distrusting institutions.”
Moore’s background is in business. He says he’ll fight for an economy that works for everyone, protection of women’s healthcare, and proactive climate policy critical to the coastal district.
Both the Democratic and Republican primaries are June 11th. Incumbent Nancy Mace has already been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. She faces several challengers including former DHEC director Catherine Templeton.
