Lucas Kunce, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, and Republican incumbent Josh Hawley met Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at the Missouri State Fair. Hawley wanted to debate at the Farm Bureau; Kunce wants Hawley to agree to televised debate. (Video by Jack Suntrup of the 亚洲无码)
SEDALIA, Mo. 鈥 U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley confronted Democrat Lucas Kunce on Thursday morning at the Missouri State Fair, where the two candidates argued about holding a debate as media and bystanders gathered around them.
The scene occurred at the Governor鈥檚 Ham Breakfast more than a week after Hawley challenged Kunce to a debate on the back of a trailer at the state fair and after Kunce鈥檚 campaign said the Republican incumbent was avoiding a 鈥渞eal debate.鈥
鈥淎re you going to debate me today?鈥 Hawley asked Kunce as the two men shook hands.
鈥淗e鈥檚 really obsessed with this stunt, man,鈥 Kunce said to reporters, as Hawley persisted. Later, the Democrat told Hawley repeatedly he was 鈥渂eing weird鈥 as he urged Hawley to instead agree to statewide televised debates.
The row between Hawley, 44, and Kunce, 41, threatened to overshadow Gov. Mike Parson, who was basking in his final year presiding over the annual event of breakfast, coffee and a bit of politics.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a special moment for me and my family,鈥 the governor told the Post-Dispatch.
Following the breakfast, fair officials surprised Parson by announcing that a new indoor arena being built on the fairgrounds would be named after him.
After Hawley鈥檚 initial debate challenge last week, the Missouri State Fair Commission said it couldn鈥檛 accommodate political debates.
Hawley was scheduled to attend a debate later Thursday near the fairgrounds and hosted by the Missouri Farm Bureau. But Kunce鈥檚 team has criticized that event because the Farm Bureau endorsed and financially supports Hawley鈥檚 campaign.
In a letter to the Farm Bureau, Kunce鈥檚 campaign manager Caleb Cavaretta said the organization is not among those authorized to host a debate under federal election law and said Kunce 鈥渄oes not wish to expose the Farm Bureau or your members to unnecessary risk.鈥
Hawley said Kunce has 鈥渂een in his basement for two weeks, and he鈥檚 spent the last two weeks insulting the Farm Bureau. Some of you have now seen this letter that he wrote threatening the Farm Bureau with legal action.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lie. We didn鈥檛 threaten the Farm Bureau. He put their 501c3 (tax-exempt) status in jeopardy by coordinating with them in violation of FEC rules,鈥 Kunce said.
鈥淥h, bull(expletive),鈥 Hawley said.
鈥淭he ridiculous thing here is that we have a guy who can鈥檛 agree to five televised debates,鈥 Kunce said.
鈥淒ude! We鈥檝e got a debate stage right there. Let鈥檚 go over there,鈥 Hawley said.
In response to reporter questions, Hawley said he no longer supported a so called right-to-work law, which voters struck down in 2018 and would forbid unions from requiring workers to pay dues as a condition of employment.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 fair to ask union organizers to have to organize for people who are not paying union dues,鈥 Hawley said.
鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 believe in labor,鈥 Kunce said, adding Hawley has tried to remake himself in an election year 鈥渂ecause he knows that taking away our rights is not something that people want, and he鈥檚 scared about it.鈥
鈥淲hy are the Teamsters supporting me?鈥 Hawley asked.
鈥淒o a real debate, man,鈥 Kunce said.
Hawley also said, 鈥淚鈥檓 sure I鈥檇 support it,鈥 when asked about a minimum wage and guaranteed paid sick leave ballot question on the Nov. 5 ballot.
While the U.S. Senate candidates tussled, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Crystal Quade and her opponent, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, greeted each other cordially as the crowd of more than 1,200 people ate breakfast and talked politics.
In a state where no Democrats hold statewide office, Quade said questions on the ballot to legalize abortion and raise the minimum wage will help drive more blue voters to the polls.
鈥淲e know that鈥檚 going to excite people and turn people out to vote,鈥 Quade said.
Republican David Wasinger, who emerged from a crowded GOP race for lieutenant governor, will face Democratic Rep. Richard Brown of Kansas City in the general election.
But in an interview, the St. 亚洲无码 County attorney would not provide details of how he wants to achieve his main goal of 鈥渄raining the swamp鈥 if he wins an office with few employees and fewer constitutional duties.
鈥淥ur goal is simply to get the Republican slate of candidates elected. After that, I will be happy to sit down with you and discuss how we鈥檙e going to go about draining the swamp,鈥 Wasinger said.
In the race for state treasurer, Republican nominee Vivek Malek insisted he would not back off his hard push against illegal immigration as he runs against Democrat Mark Osmack for a full, four-year term.
鈥淚mmigration is very personal to me,鈥 said Malek, having emigrated from India to Missouri to pursue studies at Southeast Missouri State University. 鈥淚 am not against immigration, but it has to be legal immigration. It took me 16 years to gain my citizenship.鈥
Rep. Barbara Phifer, a Kirkwood Democrat who is running for secretary of state against hard-right Sen. Denny Hoskins, said her opponent鈥檚 insistence on hand-counting ballots rather than tabulating them electronically is 鈥渁 disaster waiting to happen.鈥
鈥淲e don鈥檛 need more chaos in our elections. It鈥檚 reckless,鈥 Phifer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a way to create more distrust in our elections.鈥
Kunce has been hiding out for two weeks - I finally found him today. And he STILL won鈥檛 debate. But I鈥檒l be there
鈥 Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO)
Josh Hawley's one rule to debate: No one sees it.
From robbing us of $250k in taxpayer dollars, to voting against IVF, he's terrified of being exposed to Missouri voters. That's why he's refused to accept a single televised debate鈥攅ven on Fox News.
Hawley鈥檚 campaign spent nearly $140,000 on chartered flights since the beginning of August, despite lambasting his 2018 opponent for private j…
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, left, fields a question from a reporter while Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Lucas Kunce calls for his attention on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. The two argued about holding a debate at the fairgrounds.
Tom Mendenhall, from Columbia, Mo., eats a plate of food during the Governor鈥檚 Ham Breakfast on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.
Gov. Mike Parson gives his closing remarks at the Governor鈥檚 Ham Breakfast on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Parson spoke on his achievements and experience as the 57th governor of Missouri.