Lucas Kunce’s record-breaking fundraising haul should scare Josh Hawley

Lucas Kunce, the Democrat challenging Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, raised nearly $2.8 million in the second quarter of 2024. This is Kunce’s strongest fundraising quarter yet.

Kunce, an attorney, launched his campaign challenging Hawley last year. Missouri is generally considered a Republican stronghold, but a recent Emerson College poll showed Kunce polling within single digits of Hawley.

Kunce’s haul exceeded Hawley’s fundraising by more than $1 million. Kunce outraised Hawley last quarter as well, pulling in $2.25 million while Hawley took in $1.9 million.

“Lucas Kunce has the resources, message, grassroots support, and record of service that it takes to mount a real challenge against a strong incumbent Senator,” said Kunce campaign manager Caleb Cavarretta in a statement. “But this November, Lucas Kunce isn’t taking on a strong incumbent Senator — he’s taking on Josh Hawley. And he’s taking this Senate seat back for real Missourians.”

Kunce’s fundraising was likely helped by endorsements from three influential labor unions: the United Auto Workers, United Steelworkers, and AFSCME. Missouri has approximately 255,000 union members.

Kunce also won the endorsement this quarter of Abortion Action Missouri, a group working to restore abortion access in the state. All abortions are currently banned in Missouri except for in cases of medical emergency. 

Hawley is an anti-abortion extremist. In June 2021, he compared the fight to ban abortion to abolitionists fighting to end slavery. Earlier this month, Hawley criticized former President Donald Trump for pushing to remove anti-abortion language from the official Republican Party platform. 

Despite Trump’s move, The New York Times reported in February that Trump has privately said he would support a nationwide abortion ban. 

The Kunce-Hawley race will share the ballot with an initiative that would enshrine the right to an abortion into the Missouri state constitution. A St. Louis University/YouGov poll found 44% of voters support the measure while a critical 19% remain undecided.

Trump said in December 2023 that Hawley will face a tough reelection battle.