Candidate Comparison
Senate
Lucas Kunce (D)
Josh Hawley (R)
| Kunce supports the PRO Act, which will strengthen the right to organize and protect workers who fight for better wages, benefits, and safer workplaces. Kunce stated, “unions are the way that everyday working people get power back.” [1] | Hawley has been inconsistent on his support for the PRO Act, saying both “I’m not a huge fan of the PRO Act” and calling it a “pretty good piece of legislation.” He has called for “an end to union-backed candidates in GOP.” [4] |
| Kunce supported a bill to expand health care coverage to as many as 230,000 Missourians. Kunce also called for the breakup of Big Pharma, and will work in the Senate to prevent drug shortages, stop price gouging, and bring essential drug manufacturing to America. [2] | Hawley attempted to overturn the Affordable Care Act, which provides affordable health insurance to more than 359,000 Missourians, and called it “a burden on our liberties.” He voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which reduced prescription drug prices and capped seniors’ insulin costs at $35. [5] |
| Kunce supported a bill that that would have expanded the child tax credit, guaranteed paid sick and family leave, and rental and downpayment assistance for hard working people. [3] | Hawley voted against the American Rescue Plan, which protects the pensions of more than 200,000 hard working people, including over 20,000 UFCW members, and expands the child tax credit, paid sick and family leave, and unemployment benefits. He also introduced a bill to better track landlords who exploit tenants. [6] |
CHECK THE FACTS:
- Lucas Kunce (@LucasKunceMO), 3/16/24, X.com, https://x.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1769021241019584598;
“How the PRO Act restores workers’ right to unionize”, Economic Policy Institute, 2/4/2021, https://www.epi.org/publication/pro-act-problem-solution-chart/;
“Josh Hawley and Lucas Kunce want workers’ votes. The battle promises to define campaign,” 10/2/23, STLToday.com, https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/column/joe-holleman/josh-hawley-and-lucas-kunce-want-workers-votes-the-battle-promises-to-define-campaign/article_b49e9418-5e20-11ee-87a7-93ea5427ad6e.html;
- “Why I’m running,” accessed 8/15/24, LucasKunce.com, https://lucaskunce.com/meet-lucas-kunce/;
“Missouri voters approve Medicaid expansion despite resistance from Republican leaders,” 8/5/20, NPR.org, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/08/05/898899246/missouri-voters-approve-medicaid-expansion-despite-resistance-from-republican-le;
Lucas Kunce (@LucasKunceMO), 3/19/21, X.com, https://x.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1372950048292626433;
Lucas Kunce (@LucasKunceMO), 6/28/23, X.com, https://twitter.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1674107011921739787;
- Lucas Kunce (@LucasKunceMO), 9/28/21, X.com, https://x.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1442974199706832900;
“What’s in — and what’s out of — Biden’s latest spending proposal,” 10/28/21, Vox.com, https://www.vox.com/2021/10/28/22748554/biden-budget-build-back-better-democrats-child-care-taxes;
- “‘Total joke’: Josh Hawley’s bid to win labor support just backfired,” 5/28/24, BusinessInsider.com, https://www.businessinsider.com/josh-hawley-lucas-kunce-uaw-endorsement-2024-5;
Diego Areas Munhoz (@Dareasmunhoz), 8/5/24, X.com, https://x.com/Dareasmunhoz/status/1820491501497192756;
Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO), 9/16/15, X.com, https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/644265818138644484;
- “GOP candidates pay the price for attempts to kill Obamacare and its guarantee of coverage for preexisting conditions,” 10/3/18, WashingtonPost.com, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/voters-push-back-republican-candidates-pay-the-price-for-attempts-to-kill-obamacare-and-its-guarantee-of-coverage-for-preexisting-conditions/2018/10/03/e9483776-c1d8-11e8-97a5-ab1e46bb3bc7_story.html;
Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO), 2/3/15, X.com, https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/562735965094305792;
“Marketplace 2024 Open Enrollment Period Report: final national snapshot,” 1/24/24, CMS.gov, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2024-open-enrollment-period-report-final-national-snapshot?mc_cid=4778a48794;
U.S. Senate, Roll Call 325, Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, HR 5376, 117th Cong., 8/7/22, Senate.gov, https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00325.htm;
“Anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act: update on CMS implementation,” 8/16/23, CMS.gov, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/anniversary-inflation-reduction-act-update-cms-implementation;
- U.S. Senate, Roll Call 73, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, HR 1319, 117th Cong., 3/4/21, Senate.gov, https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00073.htm;
“FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Historic Relief to Protect Hard-Earned Pensions of Hundreds of Thousands of Union Workers and Retirees”, The White House, 12/8/2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/08/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-historic-relief-to-protect-hard-earned-pensions-of-hundreds-of-thousands-of-union-workers-and-retirees/;
“The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Endorses Senator Sherrod Brown for Reelection”, SherrodBrown.com, 4/19/2024, https://www.sherrodbrown.com/2024/04/19/the-united-food-and-commercial-workers-international-union-endorses-senator-sherrod-brown-for-reelection/;
“Fact sheet: The American Rescue Plan will deliver immediate economic relief to families,” 3/18/21, Home.Treasury.gov, https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/fact-sheet-the-american-rescue-plan-will-deliver-immediate-economic-relief-to-families;
“Sen. Josh Hawley introduces bill to crack down on bad landlords,” 3/2/20; Axios.com, https://www.axios.com/2020/03/02/bad-landlord-public-housing-bill-josh-hawley;