Candidates for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District to meet in forum

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The two candidates for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District are set to speak on key issues during a community forum in downtown Charleston on Sunday night.

Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace is seeking her third term representing the coastal district, while Democrat Michael B. Moore is hoping to unseat her in November.

Sunday’s forum, hosted by the Charleston Jewish Federation, will offer the candidates a chance to make their final pitches to voters with less than 50 days until the election.

The candidates are expected to touch on issues that matter most to residents in the 1st Congressional District, including the economy, reproductive rights, education, and foreign policy, among others.

“Tonight’s candidate forum continues a tradition of our Charleston Jewish Federation convening elected officials and candidates as an opportunity for community members to hear their positions on important issues,” said Brandon Fish, CJF’s Director of Community Outreach. “Our goal is to promote civic engagement and civil discourse, not just in the Jewish community but in the broader Lowcountry community as well. We look forward to hearing from both candidates and sharing that opportunity with Greater Charleston.”

News 2’s Carolyn Murray will moderate the forum, which begins at 6 p.m.

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Nancy Mace

Nancy Mace flipped the 1st Congressional District seat in 2020, narrowly defeating Democrat Joe Cunningham. In 2022, she secured a dominant victory over Democrat Annie Andrews following the redrawing of district lines which made the seat safer for Republicans.

Once telling The Hill she feels like she is on a political island, Mace has billed herself as an independent voice in Congress that is fiscally conservative but leans more to the center on some social issues like abortion, supporting exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.

Her style has attracted a national spotlight and left her at the center of many key votes, which sometimes found her bucking her own party. She was one of eight House Republicans to break ranks and vote to oust ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in 2023.

She has also endured allegations of flip-flopping, criticism over her shifting support for former President Trump, and turnover within her Capitol Hill office.

Michael B. Moore

Michael B. Moore, a business executive and founding president of the International African American Museum, defeated Mac Deford in the June primary to earn the Democratic nomination for the 1st Congressional District.

He vowed to restore “Lowcountry common sense” to Washington when he launched his bid for the congressional seat last year.

On the campaign trail, Moore has promised to work to create an inclusive economy and champions codifying abortion access at the federal level. He also often spoke about the stakes of the 2024 election, describing it as a “perilous moment for American democracy” and characterizing Republicans, including Mace, as too extreme.

Moore hopes to win the same seat in his Congress that his great-great-grandfather, Robert Smalls, held for five terms during Reconstruction. Born in Beaufort, Smalls escaped slavery by commandeering a Confederate ship in 1862 and went on to become one of the first African Americans to service in the U.S. House.

Early voting for the 2024 general election will start on Monday, Oct. 21, and end on Saturday, Nov. 2. Election Day is Nov. 5.

The Hill contributed.