Kunce and Hawley Prepare for Senate Debates

Lucas Kunce, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Missouri, will face incumbent Republican Sen. Josh Hawley in the November election. Both candidates have accepted an invitation for a televised debate from KSDK in St. Louis and KSHB in Kansas City on August 15, though Hawley has yet to confirm his participation officially. Hawley has proposed an unmoderated, Lincoln-Douglas style debate at the Missouri State Fair, while Kunce has called for multiple televised debates. Early polls show Hawley leading Kunce by nine to twelve points, but Democrats hope a ballot amendment on abortion rights could boost voter turnout in their favor. Meanwhile, Derek Schmidt, former Kansas Attorney General, won the Republican primary for Kansas' 2nd Congressional District and is poised for a significant political comeback.