While most political eyes are presently focused on primary races, the major candidates for another high-profile raceÌý— the U.S. Senate — are quietly piling up support.
This week, U.S. Senate hopeful Lucas Kunce announced that the Missouri district of the United Steel Workers has endorsed the Kansas City-area candidate.
Kunce, the heavily favored entry in the Democratic primary, will likely face off against GOP U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley in November.
The union, which represents workers in nine Midwestern states, cited Kunce’s military service and commitment to the working-class people of the state — “while time and again, Josh Hawley proved that he stands with corporations rather than working families.â€
Specifically dear to the steelworkers’ heart, the union said in a statement, is Kunce’s support of legislation that would prevent foreign takeovers of American businesses, including the steel industry.
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To be sure, Kunce enjoys the majority of organized labor’s support in his race against Hawley. His backers’ list includes numerous large trade unions, as well as the Missouri AFL-CIO.
Hawley, however, has made some inroads into unions. After showing up in support of United Auto Workers and Teamsters picket lines in the last year, Hawley picked up a $5,000 donation from the Teamsters’ political action committee.
Kunce’s opponents in the August primary are state Sen. Karla May, D-ºüÀêÊÓƵ, December Harmon, Mita Biswas and Samuel Rutherford.
In 2022, Kunce lost the Senate primary to Trudy Busch Valentine; she was defeated in the general election by Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who is now Missouri’s junior U.S. senator.
Hawley, who is seeking his second term, will be opposed by Christopher Murphy in the GOP primary.