South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2026
← 2024
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South Carolina's 1st Congressional District |
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General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: Pending |
Primary: Pending General: November 3, 2026 |
How to vote |
Poll times:
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican |
Ballotpedia analysis |
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th South Carolina elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 |
All U.S. House districts, including the 1st Congressional District of South Carolina, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
Robert Beers (D) | ||
![]() | Mac Deford (D) | |
![]() | Max Diaz (D) ![]() | |
Mayra Rivera-Vazquez (D) | ||
Jack Ellison (R) | ||
Alex Pelbath (R) | ||
Mark Smith (R) |
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Nancy Mace (R)
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I was born in Buffalo, NY in 2000 and have been a resident of Hanahan, SC since I entered seventh grade in 2012. I developed the itch to serve my community in the Scouting Program where I dedicated much of my time to personal growth and community service, eventually becoming an Eagle Scout. I continued my support of the Scouting Program by becoming an assistant scoutmaster in my old troop and mentoring those who came after me. After graduating from Hanahan High School in 2018 with a focus on Engineering, I earned my Aircraft Mechanic’s license and an associate degree from Trident Technical College. In 2022, I graduated from Southern Illinois University, earning a bachelor’s degree in aviation technology. I earned my Private Pilot License in 2023. As far back as Middle School, I have continuously and ardently followed news of the political, economic, and societal issues facing America. I have made it a habit to always stay educated on these issues so I could be an informed voter and an informed voice to those around me. I am a thoroughly working-class individual, with all of my formal higher education being dedicated to my blue-collar trade. I know very well what it’s like to experience the financial worries of the average American. I believe my life as a well-informed working-class citizen makes me the ideal candidate to take our issues to Washington and fight for them, tooth and nail."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in South Carolina
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Max Diaz (D)
This campaign is based on a pragmatic approach to serving Americans. I do not and will not blindly serve the will of any ideology, politician, or special interest. I am strictly interested in enacting carefully considered legislation that will solve real, practical problems and better the lives of average Americans.
The best time was yesterday; the second-best time is today. There will never be a better time to put aside party differences and support candidates across the nation who will put the needs of the average, working class American first and foremost at all times. Corporate and elite interests are not the lifeblood of America, we working citizens are the lifeblood of America. It’s time the government considered the needs of the many rather than the greed of the few.

Max Diaz (D)
Releasing the stranglehold of private equity on the housing market. Large scale home and rental buyup by massive firms has driven housing prices far beyond the point of affordability for everyday Americans.
Consumer Data Protections. In today's information economy, we are now effectively the product. Our private information should not be a commodity that is bought and sold for the purpose of manipulating consumers and getting people addicted to social media algorithms.
Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)
He recounted to me how, over time the commercial development along Shem slowly funneled the creek into a smaller mouth than it used to have. The smaller mouth stifles the flow of the creek and reduces its ability to carry sediment from the creek bottom out to the harbor. Without the ability to naturally dredge itself, Shem Creek has slowly become shallower and the plants and animals that require deeper, cooler waters to thrive in the creek cannot flourish the way they used to.
This story always makes me think about how delicately balanced ecosystems can be and how they can be damaged without any intention of harm.
Max Diaz (D)

Max Diaz (D)
All voter redistricting nationwide should be required to be done by independent, non-partisan commissions.
All elections should be held with either paper ballots or machines that leave a paper trail so that results can be securely counted and/or audited without fear of hacking or outside interference.
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign finance
Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Robert Beers | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Mac Deford | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Max Diaz | Democratic Party | $164 | $64 | $100 | As of September 30, 2025 |
Mayra Rivera-Vazquez | Democratic Party | $11,355 | $1,810 | $19,091 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Jack Ellison | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Alex Pelbath | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Robert Roberts | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Mark Smith | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[1]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[2][3][4]
Race ratings: South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
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Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
9/2/2025 | 8/26/2025 | 8/19/2025 | 8/12/2025 | ||||||
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | |||||
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | |||||
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. |
Ballot access
This section will contain information on ballot access related to this state's elections when it is available.
District history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.
2024
See also: South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2024
South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (June 11 Republican primary)
South Carolina's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (June 11 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Incumbent Nancy Mace defeated Michael B. Moore in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Nancy Mace (R) | 58.2 | 227,502 | |
![]() | Michael B. Moore (D) ![]() | 41.6 | 162,582 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 693 |
Total votes: 390,777 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Michael B. Moore defeated Mac Deford in the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on June 11, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Michael B. Moore ![]() | 51.6 | 10,893 |
![]() | Mac Deford ![]() | 48.4 | 10,209 |
Total votes: 21,102 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Benjamin Frasier (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Incumbent Nancy Mace defeated Catherine Templeton and Bill Young in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on June 11, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Nancy Mace | 56.8 | 28,300 | |
![]() | Catherine Templeton | 29.8 | 14,849 | |
![]() | Bill Young ![]() | 13.4 | 6,691 |
Total votes: 49,840 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Austin Anderson (R)
- Daniel Hanlon (R)
2022
General election
General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Incumbent Nancy Mace defeated Annie Andrews and Joseph Oddo in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Nancy Mace (R) | 56.4 | 153,757 | |
![]() | Annie Andrews (D) | 42.5 | 115,796 | |
![]() | Joseph Oddo (Alliance Party) ![]() | 1.0 | 2,634 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 494 |
Total votes: 272,681 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Alejandro Otman (Independent)
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Annie Andrews advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Incumbent Nancy Mace defeated Katie Arrington and Lynz Piper-Loomis (Unofficially withdrew) in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on June 14, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Nancy Mace | 53.1 | 39,470 | |
![]() | Katie Arrington | 45.2 | 33,589 | |
![]() | Lynz Piper-Loomis (Unofficially withdrew) | 1.6 | 1,221 |
Total votes: 74,280 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ingrid Centurion (R)
- Keith Blandford (R)
- Thomas Allen (R)
Alliance Party convention
Alliance Party convention for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Joseph Oddo advanced from the Alliance Party convention for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on April 23, 2022.
Candidate | ||
✔ | ![]() | Joseph Oddo (Alliance Party) ![]() |
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Labor Party convention
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Lucus Devan Faulk (Labor Party)
2020
General election
General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Nancy Mace defeated incumbent Joe Cunningham in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Nancy Mace (R) | 50.6 | 216,042 | |
![]() | Joe Cunningham (D) | 49.3 | 210,627 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 442 |
Total votes: 427,111 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Joe Cunningham advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Benjamin Frasier (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1
Nancy Mace defeated Kathy Landing, Chris Cox, and Brad Mole in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 1 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Nancy Mace | 57.5 | 48,411 | |
Kathy Landing ![]() | 25.9 | 21,835 | ||
Chris Cox | 9.7 | 8,179 | ||
![]() | Brad Mole ![]() | 6.9 | 5,800 |
Total votes: 84,225 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jamison Johnson (R)
- Logan Cunningham (R)
- Phillip Norris (R)
- Mike Covert (R)
District analysis
This section will contain facts and figures related to this district's elections when those are available.
See also
South Carolina | 2026 primaries | 2026 U.S. Congress elections |
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Voting in South Carolina South Carolina elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries |
U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018