Mac Deford Launches Campaign with Call for Public Service, Infrastructure Investment, and Unity

On Tuesday evening, Mac Deford, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and local government attorney, officially launched his campaign for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. Speaking before a crowd of supporters at the First Baptist Church of James Island, Deford presented a message grounded in public service, community investment, and pragmatic leadership – an approach that resonated with many Lowcountry Democrats looking for a serious challenger in this all-important race.

Deford, who nearly won the 2024 Democratic primary, opened his remarks by thanking his family, community, and church leaders, before explaining what led him to run for Congress. He recounted witnessing the 9/11 attacks as a seventh grader and being moved to serve, a commitment that led him to enlist in the Coast Guard at 18. His service, he said, taught him that leadership means showing up, doing the work, and serving others, not seeking attention.

“I’m not running to build a brand,” Deford said. “I’m running to do the work.”

That message may carry weight in Dorchester County, where many voters have grown weary of political spectacle and are eager for representatives who will focus on local needs. Deford positioned infrastructure as a top priority, citing the deteriorating 278 bridge on Hilton Head Island and flood mitigation projects in Mount Pleasant and Berkeley County as examples of urgent problems requiring federal support. He criticized the withdrawal of funding from local projects, calling it “a failure of leadership.”

Economically, Deford pushed back on Trump’s tariffs and the “so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” arguing that both hurt working families while benefiting the wealthy. He pledged to defend Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as earned benefits, not entitlements.

Despite aggressive Republican gerrymandering in 2022, Deford is confident that District 1 can be flipped. “This district in 2023 [following 2022 redistricting] was R+8, that was the rating for the district. Last year was R+7. This year is R+6. We’re trending to it being a true swing district.” 

He also extended a welcome to disillusioned Republicans and independents, emphasizing that the Democratic Party is “a big tent” with room for those who feel politically homeless.

For Dorchester Democrats, Deford’s campaign may represent the best hope in years to flip a seat that has remained elusive despite national attention. His emphasis on results, infrastructure, and cross-partisan cooperation could appeal to a broad swath of Lowcountry voters frustrated by dysfunction in Washington.

Whether Deford will triumph remains to be seen. But for now, his candidacy offers something many Democrats in the 1st District have been looking for: a credible, disciplined, and values-driven alternative.

A recording of the live event is available on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/MacDeford/videos/1970513220352606