Missouri’s top U.S. Senate candidates came out swinging Thursday night in a televised debate. Josh Hawley, the Republican incumbent, and Democratic challenger Lucas Kunce took every opportunity to smear one another.
From illegal immigration to foreign policy and the economy, they answered a variety of questions during the one-hour debate. It was hosted by NexStar Media Group at the KTVI and KPLR studios in St. Louis.
Hawley and Kunce agreed that credit card interest rates should be capped. Hawley said he wants an 18% cap.
“These credit card companies and these banks, they are making profits hand over fist. They don’t need to make 30 and 40% interest. That’s what, in many cases, the average credit card interest rate is,” said Hawley.
Kunce said interest rates charged by payday loan lenders should also be capped.
“Half the people there can’t get another credit card, and they have to turn to things like payday lenders. We need to regulate them,” said Kunce. “We need to make sure that these predatory financial institutions can’t come in and destroy people’s lives over and over and over again.”
Another issue Hawley and Kunce agree on – they oppose putting U.S. military combat boots on the ground in Israel.
Kunce is a U.S. Marine veteran.
“When Josh Hawley had the ability to undo this, to vote against extending the 2001 authorization for the use of military force, he didn’t do it. He has made it so that we can be in forever wars. He doesn’t understand what it’s like to deploy, and we should never have boots on the ground there,” said Kunce.
Hawley said Israel needs the U.S.’s support, but he opposes sending troops there.
“And our ally, Israel, is not asking for that. It’s the same reason that I haven’t supported our policy in Ukraine, where we have spent $200 billion to date, and the tab continues to run,” said Hawley.
Former Missouri U.S. Senator John Danforth says Hawley’s challenge of the 2020 presidential election results set the stage for the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots. Danforth, Hawley’s former mentor, backed Hawley’s 2018 U.S. Senate bid.
Hawley was asked if he feels responsible for any of the violence that unfolded on Jan. 6th.
“What I feel responsibility for is defending our Constitution, which is what I was doing on that day. Listen, my view is this, one person, one vote. Every vote ought to count equally,” said Hawley.
Kunce said Hawley incited a riot – leading to the injuries of 174 police officers and several deaths.
“As a Marine, we go towards danger. We help people out when they’re hurt. Josh Hawley, as the swamp creature that he is and has always been, he ran away as quick as he could, back to his $2 million Virginia estate,” said Kunce.
If Kamala Harris wins the presidential election, Hawley went on to say that he would certify the election results if the Constitution is followed.
Congress failed to pass a bipartisan immigration bill this year. Democrats have blamed presidential candidate Donald Trump for the bill’s demise, saying that he wanted to use immigration as a political talking point this election year.
The plan would have allowed 1.5 million migrants into the country annually and would have added 1,500 officers at the border.
Hawley explained why he voted against it.
“This bill would have allowed 5,000 illegal immigrants to cross the border every single day,” said Hawley. “This bill would have forced tax-payer funding for lawyers for illegals.”
Kunce, who worked at the border, said he would oppose Trump’s plan of mass deportation.
“The money that that would cost is unbelievable,” said Kunce. “I think that what we need to do first is we need to secure the border, and then we can see about other things. And securing the border includes stopping the flow of fentanyl, ending the Biden administration’s terrible catch and release program, and fully funding and equipping the Border Patrol.”
The Congressional Budget Office says Social Security funding will be exhausted by 2034. Kunce said the cap on social security taxes should be raised to fix the fund.
“So that everybody, no matter how much you’re paying, pays the exact same amount into social security tax. That will get us a lot of years,” said Kunce.
Hawley has a different idea.
“Start cutting things like the 87,000 IRS agents that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have spent billions of dollars on,” said Hawley.
The Green Party’s Nathan Kline, the Better Party’s Jared Young, and Libertarian W.C. Young are also running to unseat Hawley.
Missourinet will have live coverage on election night, beginning at 7 p.m. on participating stations.
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