CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – With Lowcountry Congresswoman Rep. Nancy Mace making her gubernatorial bid for South Carolina, a new seat is open on the House floor.
Several people have already announced their candidacy as they look to succeed her as the next representative of South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.
Candidates will be listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Robert Lee Beers III
Beers, a Charleston native now residing in Bonneau, is running as a Democrat. He is a father of two and is campaigning on a platform focused on schools, equal pay, governmental transparency, supporting veterans and the affordability of health care. His campaign website says he is for term limits, the development of a green economy, restoring infrastructure, comprehensive hate crime laws and the updating of minimum wage. He declared his intent to run to the Federal Election Commission July 24 of this year.
Jay Byars
A current member of the Dorchester County Council and a former science teacher and baseball coach in Dorchester School District Two, Byars’ campaign website calls him “a man in the arena,” emphasizing his focus on faith, service and leadership. He is a father to two daughters and has been married to his wife for a quarter of a century.
In addition to his support for President Donald Trump and putting “America first and the Lowcountry always,” Byars, a Republican, is running on goals like finishing the wall to secure the border, standing with law enforcement, cutting spending, passing term limits and banning lobbying. A large tenet of his campaign is his position as a “conservative conservationist,” seeking protection of marshes, coastlines and public lands and an end to the selling of said land. His platform also focuses on protecting religious freedoms and parental rights, protecting the Second Amendment and funding roads and infrastructure.
William “Mac” Deford
This is not Deford’s first time throwing his hat in this particular ring; the Democrat ran for this very seat in 2024, losing the primary by a few hundred votes to Michael B. Moore. The Mount Pleasant resident is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and a graduate of The Citadel and, later, the Charleston School of Law and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A new father and a husband, Deford says his Congressional run is not one of ambition, but rather is one of duty.
Deford’s campaign agenda is centered around creating stronger infrastructure, protecting the coast, expanding housing access, expanding health care access and ensuring the functionality of federal programs. Among his issues of focus, Deford touches on subjects like immigration reform, upholding the rule of law, fighting against any tariffs harmful to South Carolinians, upholding Second Amendment rights while also enacting “common sense” gun legislation and education.
Max Diaz
The youngest of the bunch, Diaz, a Democrat, has been a Hanahan resident since he started seventh grade in 2012. Described as “a thoroughly working-class individual,” Diaz’s campaign website states that his run comes after several years of frustration watching and waiting for positive change within the government, leading to the decision to “roll up his sleeves, get his hands dirty, enter the political realm,” and be the change instead of waiting for it.
Diaz’s policy plans are focused on a variety of issues. These range from seeking a resolution to rising housing costs, term limits and the removal of Super PACs from elections to the nationwide enactment of ranked choice voting and the installation of universal health care. If elected, Diaz would be the youngest serving member of Congress.
Jack Ellison
Little information is publicly available regarding Ellison and his campaign, something that can be said in regard to both offices he is running for. The Charleston man has filed a statement of candidacy for both South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District and for Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat.
Dr. Sam McCown
McCown, born and raised in South Carolina and a Mount Pleasant resident, is described as “a physician, engineer, businessman, husband, and father who has dedicated his life to serving others,” on his campaign website. Running as a Republican, McCown is a graduate of Clemson University and completed a nuclear medicine fellowship at MUSC.
McCown’s campaign platform, which he calls his “prescription for America,” lists issues like limited government, the opportunity and coexisting threat posed by AI, affordable health care, border security and energy independence. He is pro-life and describes himself as a defender of the Second Amendment.
Alex Pelbath
Combat veteran and conservative Pelbath says he is not a politician, but rather a mission-focused leader who wants to provide Trump with “the reinforcements he needs.” Pelbath, who lives in Mount Pleasant, served 22 years in the Air Force, spending a quarter of his flight hours in combat. He says he won’t blend in in Washington; instead, he says he will lead.
His top issues include economic reform that benefits and lowers costs for working-class families, securing the border, ending birthright citizenship, increasing deportation, protecting children and rooting out “woke nonsense” from America’s schools and military.
Mayra Rivera-Vazquez
A woman who “believes in putting people over politics,” Rivera-Vazquez is a Bluffton resident who grew up in Puerto Rico. She has been a South Carolinian for over a decade. She says she is three things: a mother, a neighbor and a fighter. The wife of an Army veteran, Rivera-Vazquez is a first-generation college graduate with degrees in economics, law and international law, trade and relations. She has led multiple grassroots efforts during her time as the leader of the Democratic Party in Beaufort County.
Rivera-Vazquez is running with a focus on economic progress, affordability, health care affordability, quality and coverage, educational improvement, environmental protection and “common-sense” immigration reform, citing the Trump administration’s policies as causing more problems than solutions.
Mark Smith
With 35 endorsements already beneath his belt, Mark Smith is looking to graduate from the Statehouse and move forward to Capitol Hill. A Daniel Island resident, State Rep. Smith (R – Berkeley) is a husband of 31 years and the father of three sons. In an announcement video titled “Lived It,” Smith, who grew up in Bamberg, postured himself as a “proud Christian, husband, father,” and a man who won’t forget where he came from. He said his upbringing taught him “the value of grit and determination,” values he is looking to bring to Washington.
In a statement, Smith said the following:
“Last November, the overwhelming majority of Americans sent a clear message: they’re unhappy with the direction of the country and they want a change in the White House. In South Carolina’s 1st District, we need a proven conservative leader who can deliver results in Washington and fight for President Trump’s America First agenda. That’s why I’m stepping up to serve.
I’ve lived the values I’m fighting for — faith, family, and freedom — and I have a record of getting things done. I’ll work every day to secure our borders and keep our citizens safe, make America energy independent with affordable rates for families and businesses, and protect the Lowcountry’s natural beauty. Just like in our homes and businesses, I’ll demand government efficiency — cutting waste, eliminating red tape, and getting long-overdue infrastructure projects permitted and shovel-ready.
The Lowcountry doesn’t need more drama out of Washington. We need a fighter who will deliver results, stand with President Trump, and put the people of South Carolina first. That’s exactly what I’ll do in Congress.”