Hawley pulls ahead of Kunce in Missouri race for U.S. Senate

JEFFERSON CITY — Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley was leading Democratic challenger Lucas Kunce in an expensive race for U.S. Senate on Tuesday night.

With about 42% of votes counted, Hawley was leading Kunce by a 50%-to-47% margin, according to the Associated Press.

Kunce was leading Hawley in St. Louis County, winning about 63% of the vote with about 58% of votes reported, according to the Associated Press.

Kunce was narrowly leading in the swing counties of Platte and Clay on the western side of the state. Hawley was leading with 61% of the vote in Republican-leaning Buchanan County, with nearly all results reported.

Hawley, 44, was seeking his second six-year term. The former Missouri attorney general caused nationwide blowback for his actions to overturn the 2020 election, which helped fuel Kunce's insurgent bid against the incumbent.

Hawley has also stoked controversy for his embrace of Christian nationalism, which promotes the United States as a Christian nation.

Kunce, 42, a Marine veteran, made worker issues central campaign planks as he leaned into his family's personal story of financial hardship.

While Hawley has endorsed certain pro-worker legislation, Kunce has portrayed the Republican's moves as a casual attempt to scam votes .

Hawley, in attacking Kunce, latched onto a statement the Democrat made in a 2021 opinion piece in which Kunce made a national security case for ditching fossil fuels.

While Kunce tied his campaign closely to the abortion-rights amendment on the ballot, Hawley argued the measure would legalize transgender surgeries for minors in saying he would oppose it.

Kunce spent $19.8 million on his bid through Oct. 16, outspending Hawley and an allied political action committee. Combined, the pro-Hawley groups spent $18.4 million through mid-October.

While Kunce raised $20.2 million, the other five Democrats running for statewide positions in Missouri raised a combined $3.1 million for their campaigns.

Despite Kunce having the resources to run a robust operation, public polls still showed him trailing Hawley heading into Election Day.

Kunce cast his vote Tuesday at a library near his home in Independence. He was holding his election night watch party at the IBEW Local 124 union hall in Kansas City.

Hawley's campaign was scheduled to hold a watch party The Workshop at Finley Farms in Ozark, Missouri, south of Springfield.

This story will be updated through election night.

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Jefferson City reporter