Democrats Mac Deford, Michael B. Moore battle for votes in First Congressional District debate

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Two candidates battling for the Democratic nomination in South Carolina’s First Congressional District met on stage Thursday night looking to build momentum with just days until the primary.

The one-hour debate, hosted by News 2, saw attorney Mac Deford and business executive Michael B. Moore discuss the top issues facing the district.

A recent News 2 poll found that about one-third of voters believe that tackling inflation and the cost of living should be the main priority, so the candidates opened the night by detailing their plans to bring relief to Lowcountry consumers.

“We need to create a more inclusive economy,” Moore said. “I think a lot of the inflation that we’re experiencing is companies basically taking advantage of the situation to raise their prices and to maximize their profits. We need to have a little bit more of a rational approach to things.”

“We have to address local issues here to ensure the pressures of financial constraints are not overburdening families,” Deford said. “I think housing is one of the most critical issues locally here and being able to bring affordable housing projects to the Lowcountry to help families.”

Abortion access, which voters said is the most pressing issue facing the district, also emerged early in the debate.

Asked whether decisions regarding reproductive rights should be left up to the states, both candidates said it was a federal issue and advocated for Roe v. Wade to be codified.

Deford called abortion bans “Draconian” and shared the story of his grandmother who died at the age of 31 from an unsafe abortion.

“We have to do everything we can as a nation to protect a woman’s right to choose,” he said.

But, despite a May poll by Winthrop University finding that nearly half of South Carolina voters support the state’s six-week abortion ban, neither candidate felt that voters should decide the issue on the ballot.

“I think the most effective way to do it is at the national level. I think reps in Washington can reestablish Roe…the laws that are there to protect women in this way,” Moore said.

Even with South Carolina situated more than 1,000 miles from the United States border with Mexico, voters identified illegal immigration and border security as another top issue in this race.

Moore applauded recent executive action taken by President Joe Biden to limit the number of asylum seekers at the southern border but argued that enough is still not being done to curb the crisis, blaming congressional Republicans for the inaction.

“There was a bipartisan deal on the table…that would have done the most in history to try to protect the southern border and extreme Republicans — Nancy Mace, Donald Trump, and others — nixed that deal,” Moore said, further categorizing it as a “hemispheric problem.”

“If we just start worrying about the problem when people arrive at our border, we’ve lost,” he continued. “We need to think about this hemispheric problem in a hemispheric way. Negotiating with our southern partners to create political stability, economic stability so people aren’t coming.”

Deford similarly concluded that enough is not being done, arguing that Congress must ensure officials have the proper resources to secure the border. But, he also rejected the idea of building a barrier, or wall, to keep immigrants out — as former President Donald Trump and others have advocated for.

“We can have a secure border while paving the way for efficient, fair immigration in this country to allow people who want to come and contribute to America to be here,” Deford said. “We also have to look at why people are leaving…the international community, especially the U.S., should start looking into more ways we can invest in economies in Mexico and South America.”

As the night wore on, the candidates tackled other hot-button issues, including healthcare affordability and accessibility, foreign policy, and the environment — a particularly important topic for residents in the district which stretches along the South Carolina coast.

“This is an existential issue,” Moore said. “There’s research that says by the year 2100, eight million people are going to need to be relocated from the coastlines…we gotta care about this. All of us as Americans have to adopt almost as a part of our culture just more fervent, stronger view and way of thinking of protecting the environment.”

“There is built mechanical flood mitigation infrastructure that can be deployed but there are also natural barriers that protect us…such as protecting our marshes, making sure that they’re healthy, and also beach renourishment projects,” Deford said. “All things that I have a lot of experience with.”

The Democratic hopefuls did not spar with each other, instead taking several opportunities to jab at Republican incumbent Rep. Nancy Mace, whom both are hoping to replace.

Asked what he would do differently than Mace, whose shifting positions and political stunts drew her a pair of GOP primary challengers, Deford said he would “show up.”

“I’ve been to a lot of communities here in the first congressional district where I ask them: When was the last time Nancy Mace came out and talked to you? Crickets,” Deford said. “We need representatives that are going to show up and actually tackle the issues of our time.”

Moore said he would “do everything differently” from the congresswoman.

“It’s pretty clear that not only does she not have the first congressional district squarely in her sights and that she’s working for but she’s looking at another political role or perhaps a gig on Fox News,” Moore said. “Just having a representative who actually wants to represent the first congressional district…is not thinking about things…is an important issue.”

News 2 extended invitations for a debate to Republican candidates and all but one declined the offer.

The statewide primaries will be held on June 11, 2024.