The Missouri Senate race is heating up as Republican incumbent Josh Hawley targets Democratic challenger Lucas Kunce’s refusal to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. Hawley has launched a new radio ad, targeting African American voters, that mocks Kunce for his repeated hesitance to state whether he’ll vote for the Democratic nominee.
The ad features a conversation between two women, where one expresses excitement about voting for Harris, while the other notes Kunce’s reluctance to do the same. “But not this guy Lucas Kunce,” the first woman says. “He says he’s a Democrat, but get this, Lucas Kunce is scared to admit he’s voting for Kamala Harris,” the ad continues, highlighting Kunce’s refusal to endorse Harris in multiple interviews and debates.
Hawley has taken to social media to amplify the issue, questioning Kunce’s reasons for not endorsing Harris and suggesting he may even be supporting former President Donald Trump. The ad concludes with a final jab at Kunce’s indecision: “It’s weak. It’s unacceptable. I don’t agree with Josh Hawley a lot. But you always know where he stands. You sure do.”
Kunce, who has previously declined to endorse Harris, has focused on his own campaign message, highlighting his focus on issues such as healthcare and the economy. He has maintained that he is not concerned with endorsements, focusing instead on his own record and message.
Hawley won the 2018 Senate race by six points, and recent polls show him leading Kunce by roughly ten points with just over 40 days left until the election. This aggressive ad campaign suggests Hawley is trying to leverage the national political climate to his advantage, using the divisive figure of Harris to paint Kunce as a weak and indecisive candidate. The race remains close, and it remains to be seen whether Hawley’s tactic will be successful in swaying voters.
