(NewsNation) – NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ has called the race for Missouri’s U.S. Senate seat in favor of Josh Hawley. See All Missouri race results here.
Republican Senator Josh Hawley faced a Democratic challenger Marine veteran Lucas Kunce in his bid for re-election.
Hawley was elected to the Senate in 2018, defeating two-term Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. He previously served as Missouri’s attorney general from 2017 to 2019.
Hawley was an vital ally former President Donald Trumpand was one of the first senators to announce this contradict the certification of the 2020 presidential election. He also faced bipartisan backlash when he appeared to support pro-Trump rioters January 6, 2021, as he raised his fist as we walk past them.
During his time in office, Hawley became known for his stance on culture wars and privacy, calling for a Social media ban TikTok platform. For him Re-election campaignThe Republican senator positioned himself as a constitutional conservative and someone who fights for religious freedom to prevent “Big Tech companies from abusing their power and to prevent foreign interests from harming American workers.”
Hawley ran against Kunce, a 13-year Marine veteran and director of national security at the American Economic Liberties Project, a nonprofit antitrust regulation organization. Kunce has not held any public office, but has run for the Senate once to fill Roy Blunt’s seat in 2022. Kunce ultimately lost in the Democratic primary.
Much of his campaign revolved around being the right person to beat Hawley. Democrats’ policies include supporting protections for organized labor and supporting abortion rights. He condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and believes the US should operate its influence to push for a ceasefire. Kunce faced criticism from his fellow Democrats after he declined to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election.
A notable moment that made headlines during the campaign was when Hawley came to a Missouri State Fair event looking for Kunce to challenge him to a live debate near the fair. The two candidates exchanged words and remarks for several minutes, surrounded by the media.
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In the red state of Missouri, where no Democrat has held statewide office since Hawley’s victory over McCaskill in 2018, Kunce gained significant momentum and became the best-funded Democrat in a statewide election. He raised more than $11 million for his campaign. He outspent and outspent Hawley throughout the campaign cycle. But despite fundraising efforts, surveys by The Hill/Decision Desk Headquarters In the weeks leading up to the election, it appeared that Hawley had a 93% chance of winning the election.
The The outcome of this race will affect the balance of power in the Senate. There will be a total of 34 vacant seats in 2024, 23 of which will be held by Democrats and independents. Republicans can regain control of the upper chamber of Congress by giving up two seats to Democrats or by winning the presidential race and giving up just one more seat.
