The Missouri Press Association has held a Senate debate every election cycle for years at its annual convention. Kunce is set to appear at this year’s debate on Friday in Springfield along with third-party candidates Jared Young and Nathan Kline, according to Mark Maassen, the press associations executive director.
“No word yet from Josh Hawley,” Maassen said.
Hawley’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on Friday’s debate.
Caleb Cavarretta, Kunce’s campaign manager, said in an emailed statement that Kunce agreed to Friday’s debate because “unlike Josh Hawley, Lucas respects the responsibility of a candidate and U.S. Senator to connect with folks they are meant to represent.”
“This year, we’ve got two weeks of no excuse in-person absentee voting in Missouri so it would be great for voters to hear from Josh Hawley before then,” Cavarretta said, “but unfortunately he wants to hide out as long as he can before election day.”
When State Fair officials said that was not possible, and that no one from Hawley’s campaign had alerted them to the possibility of a debate, Hawley pushed for a debate hosted by the Missouri Farm Bureau, which has endorsed him in the race.
Kunce said he would sign off on the idea as long as Hawley would formally agree to his suggestion of five televised debates, and the farm bureau showdown never materialized.
Instead, Kunce and Hawley crossed paths at the Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair, trading insults and demands for debates.
In 2022, Republican Eric Schmitt also refused to participate in the press association’s debate, only the second time since 1988 that a major-party candidate refused to attend one of the organization’s forums.
Republican Mike Kehoe, Democrat Crystal Quade and third party candidates Paul Lehmann and Bill Slantz have agreed to participate in the gubernatorial forum, Maassen said.
Both the gubernatorial and Senate debates will be moderated by David Lieb of the Associated Press, with a panel of journalists from around the state — Lucas Presson of the Southeast Missourian, Christine Tempe of the Springfield Business Journal and Alvin Reid of the St. Louis American.
This should be a good debate for the voters of Missouri. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, we all can agree that we live in one of the Greatest Countries in the World where we all have the Freedom to Vote and a Choice too Cast our Vote for whoever we want. So get out and Vote on November 05, 2024 or get your Absentee Ballot turned in. Just complaining, arguing, fighting, yelling, will not get your Voice Heard - Just Use Your Vote!
ReplyDeleteHope it turns out OK 840 but trump has plans to disrupt and delegitamize the election. There are also magat election officials who may very well steal the election from Harris. If this happens, we will living under authoritarian rule instead of constitutional law.
Delete10:48, you have that all backwards....
ReplyDelete1225, The usual magat reply to reality is conspiracy based fantasy.
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