Veteran, Lowcountry attorney announces run for SC First Congressional District

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A U.S. Coast Guard veteran and Mount Pleasant attorney announced we will run to take the First Congressional District seat currently held by Republican Nancy Mace.

Mac Deford, a Democrat, is a graduate of the Citadel and Charleston School of Law, according to the announcement. Deford was stationed at Coast Guard Station Charleston in 2010, serving as a Maritime Enforcement Specialist and Boarding Officer. He has been an attorney for the Town of Mount Pleasant and most recently, served as the General Counsel for the Town of Hilton Head Island.

“Throughout my life, I have been driven by a desire to serve others and strengthen my community,” Deford said in a news release. “In the Coast Guard, I served as a maritime law enforcement officer, coordinated local emergency preparedness, protected Lowcountry waterways, and participated in numerous search and rescue missions. In my work for the towns of Mount Pleasant and Hilton Head Island, I have addressed affordable housing initiatives, environmental concerns, and quality of life issues. I have helped local non-partisan officials find solutions that benefit our community as a whole, and have first-hand experience of how effective government can be without polarizing politics. I believe public service is about putting your own personal gains aside in order to best serve your community. If elected, that is how I will represent the Lowcountry.”

Deford said he’s running for Congress because he feels Mace has lost sight of the people she serves.

“While claiming to be a pragmatic problem-solver seeking solutions and compromise, her harmful voting record in Washington, D.C. tells a different story. The difference between what she says on her cable news appearances and the bills she files and votes on have left many people feeling unrepresented, ignored, and constantly deceived,” Deford said. “The Lowcountry deserves a representative who follows through on what they say, fights for what is right, and prioritizes public service over self.”

In Congress, Deford says he will advocate for public schools and educational equity, accessible and high-quality healthcare for all, investments in infrastructure, women’s reproductive rights, safer communities, and protections to ensure the Lowcountry is resilient against climate change.