Democratic candidate Lucas Kunce is wasting no time in highlighting his endorsements for his planned run in 2024 against incumbent GOP U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley.
Likely feeling a sense of urgency due to ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, who joined the Democratic primary fray in a surprise move last week, Kunce is peppering media outlets with a list of big-name backers (at least in the politic arena).
That list includes a couple of ºüÀêÊÓƵ marquee players, including longtime U.S. Rep. William "Bill" Clay Sr.
In a prepared statement for the Kunce campaign, the ºüÀêÊÓƵ civil rights icon said Kunce has "never forgot where he came from and the community that helped him along the way. I'm proud to endorse him and I'm glad he's in this fight."
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The senior Clay was not the only familiar name from ºüÀêÊÓƵ politics.
The campaign also notes that Kunce has the backing of ºüÀêÊÓƵ aldermanic President Megan Green, Alderman Rasheen Aldridge of Old North ºüÀêÊÓƵ and Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard of the West End.
Two state representatives from the ºüÀêÊÓƵ area, Chantelle Nickson-Clark, D-Florissant, and Kimberly-Ann Collins, D-ºüÀêÊÓƵ, also have given their blessing to Kunce's run.
Add to those endorsers the names of Florissant Mayor Tim Lowery and Barbara Eagleton, wife of former U.S. Sen. Thomas Eagleton.
Kunce, who grew up in mid-Missouri and now lives in Independence, picked up at least one endorsement from the Kansas City area that should be familiar to area sports fans:
Former Kansas City Royals standout second baseman Frank White, now the Jackson County Executive, also is backing Kunce.
Last week, Kunce had released his list of multiple endorsements from major trade unions in the state, including the Missouri AFL-CIO and the building trades unions of ºüÀêÊÓƵ and Kansas City.
Kunce first sought a U.S. Senate seat in 2022 as a newcomer to Missouri politics. He lost the Democratic primary to Trudy Busch Valentine, who then went on to lose to Attorney General Eric Schmitt in the general election.