Meet Mac Deford
Called to Serve
My commitment to service began early. At just 18, I joined the U.S. Coast Guard, determined to protect others and give back to my country. After serving in Baltimore, I was stationed in Charleston where I served as a federal law enforcement officer and search and rescue crewman, defending our waterways and saving lives along the South Carolina coast.
After completing my service, I stayed in the Lowcountry and earned my degree from The Citadel, graduating magna cum laude on the GI Bill. I went on to earn a law degree from the Charleston School of Law, where I clerked in the 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and assisted in prosecuting violent criminals. I later earned my MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Community Focus. Local Impact.
I started my legal career as in-house counsel for a publicly traded technology company, representing the business in high-stakes legal matters across the U.S. and overseas. But the call to public service never left me. I returned to the public sector and served as Associate General Counsel for the Town of Mount Pleasant, and later as General Counsel for the Town of Hilton Head Island.
In those roles, I helped launch Hilton Head’s first-ever workforce housing initiative, fought for and secured millions in federal funding to protect our coastline, and provided legal leadership during some of the region’s most pressing challenges.
Why I’m Running
Today I live in Mount Pleasant with my wife Caroline, our son William, and our two yellow labs, Beau and Duke. We’re proud to call the Lowcountry home.
I’m running for Congress because I believe public service is a calling—one that demands we step up when our communities are at a crossroads. This isn’t about ambition; it’s about duty. I’ve served before, and I’m stepping forward again—not to seek comfort or applause, but to do the hard work of building a country that lives up to its promise.
