A clip of Missouri Senator Josh Hawley getting dragged during his election campaign’s only live TV debate has gone viral.
Hawley, a MAGA Republican, is up against Democratic opponent Lucas Kunce, a former Marine.
Kunce made headlines last week after he filmed himself and former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger at a firing range. During the filming, a shot accidentally resulted in shrapnel hitting KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa. Kunce helped to patch the man up. It’s unsure whose shot caused the shrapnel. No charges are being filed over the incident.
However, Hawley has repeatedly tried to turn the accident to his advantage. This included releasing an advert claiming Kunce “can’t shoot straight!”.
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Yesterday, the two participated in their only televised debate — after months of wrangling over where it would occur and under what conditions.
“He ran away, as quick as he could”
In one part, Kunce lambasts Hawley for “clutching his pearls” over the shooting incident. He suggests Hawley has done far worse, including “inciting a riot that led to the injuries of 107 police officers,” and the deaths of several people. Kunce is referencing January 6th, 2020. Hawley was famously caught on CCTV that day running along the corridors of the Capitol building to escape the approaching mob.
“The big difference between Josh and I, when I was at this event and I saw Ryan get hurt, I immediately went over to him,” said Kunce. “I stopped what I was doing. I took out the medical kit, I put a bandage on him, he was able to keep reporting.
“Josh Hawley, when literally hundreds of people were being hurt at his place of work, did the exact opposite thing, right? As a marine, we go towards danger. We help people out when they’re hurt. Josh Hawley, as the selfish swamp creature that he is and has always been, he ran away, as quick as he could … The man is literally all about himself.”
Watch below.
Wow. Lucas Kunce just destroyed Josh Hawley on the debate stage. You need to watch this. pic.twitter.com/QXyvxWE5qC
— Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) November 1, 2024
Online, many praised Kunce for his words, with one saying, “This was murder in broad daylight.”
There is not enough caution tape in Texas for this crime scene. Holy hell.
— ThisWillHold (@ThisWillHold) November 1, 2024
Damn Kunce, you could at least allow Hawley to put some Neosporin on his ass before you go back to dragging him again pic.twitter.com/uCQtITcTlN
— Alejandro Sosa’s Wife⚜️Childless Cat Lady (@SaintMystic) November 1, 2024
Trans rights
Besides harping on about Kunce’s firing range excursion, Hawley has repeatedly tried to bash the Democrat over his support for trans rights. Kunce has said he would happily vote for the Equality Act and voiced support for trans people. Hawley has falsely claimed Kunce is in favor of gender-affirming surgery for kids. Although he supports gender-affirming care, Kunce has not said he supports surgery for minors.
Kunce has previously indicated the issue is personal to him as he has a trans brother. That brother, Warren, spoke out in Lucas Kunce’s support when he previously ran in 2022.
In 2022, Kunce ran in the Democratic primary but lost to Trudy Busch Valentine. Current opinion polls have him trailing Hawley ahead of next week’s election. A poll released Friday by Emerson College Polling/The Hill, found Hawley leading Kunce 51 percent to 41 percent, with 7 percent undecided.
Main photo: By Gage Skidmore, via CC BY-SA 2.0
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