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Oct. 16, 2024 |  By: Jason Hancock - Missouri Independent

Democrat Lucas Kunce outraises Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley

hawley and kunce staring at each other

By Jason Hancock - Missouri Independent

Democrat Lucas Kunce reported raising $7.6 million over the last three months, more than doubling the amount raised by Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley over the same period. 

Hawley, who is seeking his second term in the Senate, reported raising $3 million. An independent political action committee supporting his re-election, Show Me Strong, raised a little under $1 million. 

But Hawley ended the quarter with more cash on hand than his Democratic rival, finishing September with $2.6 million for the campaign’s homestretch compared with $1.5 million for Kunce.

Jared Young, who successfully petitioned to form the Better Party for his Senate run, raised $14,860.

Every public poll of the race has shown Hawley in the lead, with most putting the Republican up by double digits. And Missouri hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2018.

But Kunce has consistently outraised Hawley, and as the campaign enters its final weeks, he’s continued to go toe-to-toe with in television ad spending. Since the August primary, Kunce’s campaign has spent $6 million on TV ads hammering the Republican and trumpeting Kunce’s populist message. 

Hawley’s campaign has spent $3.9 million on ads during that time, with Show Me Strong chipping in roughly $1.9 million.

Tuesday’s disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission also reveal Hawley’s campaign more than doubled its spending on private jet travel, with nearly $140,000 worth of expenditures on chartered flights since the beginning of August. 

That compares to $132,000 during the first six months of the year. 

Hawley made criticism of former U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill’s use of private planes to travel the state a key attack line during his successful 2018 campaign, arguing it demonstrated the Democratic incumbent was out of touch with her constituents. 

The criticism was turned back on him when he was recorded earlier this month boarding a Gulfstream IV SP to hopscotch the state for campaign rallies with Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. 

His latest disclosure form shows eight expenditures for chartered flights, including nearly $30,000 on Sept. 19. 

Kunce and Hawley are scheduled to debate Oct 31 on Missouri Nexstar stations, including KTVI/KPLR-St. Louis, WDAF-Kansas City, KRBK-Springfield and KSN-Joplin and their digital platforms.