comment: >
  
  Firearm ownership is common in America. It's also shockingly legal to carry guns in public. 
  He is more of a white collar criminal. 
  After January 6th, he left office. 
  A few hundred guys weren't going to overthrow America. No.
context: Good.  Call the MAGAs out.  Make them answer for their behavior for once. >
  
  This reminds me of Fetterman verses Dr. Oz. >
  
  Democrats should take a lot of lessons from that campaign. >
  
  Why do people think that Fetterman was such an incredible candidate but never mention Josh Shapiro, who ran in the same state but did significantly better than Fetterman? >
  
  Because Mastriano was much more insane than Oz lol. >
  
  He at least lived in PA. >
  
  Lmao true. PA really lucked out this cycle. I was happy to cast my vote for Shapiro and fetty >
  
  I love that the only thing Republicans have as an insult is screaming "Woke! Woke!" >
  
  I am so tired of that word.  I could power a small machine with the energy generated from my eyes rolling back so hard. >
  
  The Republicans are pretty good at this kind of simplistic jiujitsu - if there's a word for people on the cultural left, they turn it into an insult right away.  
  It becomes like a euphemism treadmill - and people will always be like 'well maybe if y'all weren't so wacky the word wouldn't gain a negative connotation!'  
  It's like no - the word will always gain a negative connotation because the right will make sure it does. >
  
  Need more popcorn.
  
  Announcing a run for US Senate in 2024, the populist Missouri Democrat Lucas Kunce released an ad focusing on how his prospective opponent, the Republican senator Josh Hawley, ran from the mob he encouraged on the day the US Capitol came under attack.
  “I’ve done a lot of running in my life,” Kunce said, over footage of a man in a ripped suit running on a country road, dropping a US flag pin.
  “Running to stay healthy, running to fight for my country, running to defend democracy. And by the way, that guy you’re looking at, that’s not me. That’s our current US senator, Josh Hawley. This guy.”
  The ad then showed a famous picture from 6 January 2021, of Hawley raising a fist to Trump supporters outside the Capitol, a picture Hawley has used for fundraising purposes.
  
  .....
  
  A former US marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kunce, 40, also worked on international arms control. He has already mounted a Senate run, last year, losing the primary to Trudy Busch Valentine, a brewing heiress who went on to lose to Eric Schmitt, a former state attorney general.
  A Hawley spokesman told news outlets: “We welcome this desperate woke activist to yet another political race. He just barely finished losing his last one. Maybe he’s running in the wrong state.”
  Lis Smith, a Democratic consultant who ran Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign in 2020, said Kunce “takes a metaphorical bat to coward Josh Hawley in his first ad”.
  Hawley, Smith said, “should never able to live down how he helped stoke the crowd on January 6 then sprinted away as they stormed the Capitol”. >
  
  “Desperate woke activist” 
  “Former Marine with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan” 
  Sure bro. Sure. >
  
  
  “Desperate woke activist”
  
  It's literally the only insult they have. And it's not even an insult considering DeSantis' lawyer was asked to define 'woke':
  
  the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them
  
  If that's what it means, everyone should be striving to be woke lol >
  
  So basically if being woke is a bad thing, by that definition they would rather people ignore the systemic injustices taking place?  Sounds about right. >
  
  They’re rich white men. They can pretend there are no systemic injustices because they don’t suffer from them. >
  
  But if there were MORE in justices, think about how much more money they could make. >
  
  Keep pushing. These MAGA idiots hate being attacked for being weak or cowardly…because the attacks have the added benefit of being true and because they work. >
  
  Mo is gettable but you can't win by playing nice. You need to expose these guys. >
  
  Yeah, and calling him a phony and a coward isn’t that mean if it’s true. I’m thinking there’s gonna be a lot more material to work with when that clown’s book on how to be a man finally comes out. >
  
  Hopefully John Danforth - former Senator from MO, mentor to Hawley that declared supporting him was "the biggest mistake of my life" following the insurrection (in case someone doesn't know the name) - will appear in ad supporting Kunce. >
  
  Kunce isn't winning Missouri. >
  
  Doesn’t mean it should be given freely and without a fight. >
  
  It's a waste of money. He's too anti gun to ever win Missouri. I'm a Missouri democrat, I wouldn't vote for him in the primary or in the Senate race. >
  
  Then switch parties and stop pretending you are a gettable vote. >
  
  I've voted Democrat or green party on every ballot so far. I just would vote for a different candidate come election day. Not a republican, but a write in. >
  
  Then what is the issue with Kunce specifically? He performed far better in rural areas and brought more non traditional voters to the primary. What is your reason to not vote for him specifically? Did you vote for Busch-Valentine, or opt third party this past election cycle? >
  
  Red flag laws and universal background checks can go fuck themselves. Single issue voting be like that. If he removed that gun nonsense, he would win Missouri with ease. >
  
  Great. Hope he actually spends the next 22 months putting in the ground work throughout the state. >
  
  He ran in 2020 but lost the primary. He has a good campaign that is focused on that. Biggest issue as you elude to is people not knowing him. He's working on that. >
  
  Exactly. Last election I only heard of him 3 days before casting my ballot (for him). Having nearly 2 years to hit the ground running will be a huge help. All this national coverage is great too. >
  
  He was on the ground but didn’t go a good job. He had multiple moments where he came across as a carpetbagger, coming back to MO for political career, not public service. If he makes a better argument this time, could be different. >
  
  great content but i think framing kunce delivering the monologue in profile for the most part was a bizarre stylistic choice >
  
  No, I like it. It gives it a unique look and less phony than most other political ads. >
  
  feels more phony to me, because it is an obvious choice to try to avoid phoniness. but to each their own. a minor nitpick >
  
  ~~Josh Hawley~~ Jogs Hallway >
  
  Excellent! (+ mandatory Guitar riff) >
  
  Please Kunce, you’re our only hope. >
  
  r/fuckjoshhawley >
  
  First of all and always, fuck Josh Hawley. >
  
  How about nobody ever fucks him again? >
  
  Yeah, Josh Hawleys hero tronny dump did some running also, he was running from a Vietnam war draft board, little donny ran like hell.  All these cowards are the same coward. >
  
  Voted for Kunce last time, and I’ll vote for him again. Fuck Hawley, the little prick >
  
  Throw the Trump nicknaming ploy back at them. “Coward” Josh Hawley is great!  ALWAYS use Coward as his first name. >
  
  Coward Josh Hawley ;
  Groomer Gym Jordan ;
  Run to Cancun Ted Cruz ;
  Loser Kevin McCarthy ;
  Cheatin’ MTG ;
  Bobble Head (or groomer again?) Matt Gaetz ;
  Insignificant Paul Gosar ;
  Chinese Mitch ;
  Wrong on everything Ron Johnson/ Wrong  Johnson ;
  Faithless Mike Lee ;
  ha idk this is fun cause they’re all such demented fuckwads >
  
  Fled Cruz? >
  
  hahaha i love you >
  
  Being cowardly isn’t his biggest flaw.  It’s the whole trying to overthrow the government thing with no valid excuse. >
  
  Josh Hawley is going to have to debate this guy. Hopefully he doesn't, then we can get more ads about him being cowardly and running away from stuff. Fuck Josh Hawley. And I live in FL, I have my own problems in this shit state. >
  
  God, I want that debate to happen. >
  
  Oh, I so want a link to this add. >
  
  God damn, that was fire! Never heard of this guy but can't wait for more from him. >
  
  Brave Josh Hawley, bravely ran away. >
  
  When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely tucked his tail and fled, the brave josh Hawley. >
  
  Jog Hallway - (R) Missouri >
  
  Ooh, medal worthy! >
  
  and the Hawley wrote a book on being a man. I can't imagine the arrogance required for anyone to think they have the stature to instruct anyone else how to man up. talk about mansplaining... as broke as I am, I'm contributing to his opponent during his next run. >
  
  So your opinion is that when security told them l to run that he should not have? >
  
  my opinion is he's a bone deep fake/liar/traitor who should be in jail. AND he should have stood his ground and thanked the good lord for what he was about to receive. >
  
  Of all the things he’s done, running when security told him too is literally dead last in importance.
  But, it gets redditors feeling good, so that’s what they will go with, which means he loses the election >
  
  I really like Kunce and just in general, former Marines are great at throwing shade (see also: Ruben Gallego). >
  
  Missouri, I know we’re not the best of friends but come on…..Show Me. >
  
  Josh "Haulin Ass" Hawley? >
  
  Jogs Hallway >
  
  Excellent news!  Hawley needs to be run out of office by Missouri voters!  He IS a mouthy coward! >
  
  I like this guy. >
  
  That is how every Democrat should be attacking republican opponents:  Cowards, Traitors, Liars. Don’t be afraid to call them what they are >
  
  Closeted I believe.   Running from himself >
  
  Fascist gonna fascist  ¯_(ツ)_/¯ >
  
  And of course they go to “woke activist”
  They’re like a broken record at this point. >
  
  That's not how you diminish a Republican like Hawley in the eyes of his voters. You have to use Republican tactics and accuse him of things he would never do, like helping an elderly Black woman cross the street, volunteering at a soup kitchen that feeds Non Christians. That will lose him votes. >
  
  Think of it less as an ad to diminish Hawley and more of an ad designed to make Kunce a household name among politically interested Democrats nationally. 
  Democratic Party leadership in Missouri has been a joke for some time now. If he’s going to win, it will not be with the help of state party leaders IMO. He’ll need some national support, but national Democrats haven’t paid much attention to Missouri in a decade or more. 
  Maybe that would just turn him into a Beto, a McGrath, or a Harrison, raising a ton of money only to get demolished in a red state. But I imagine he sees the potential to fill the role of a Fetterman or Warnock/Ossoff. >
  
  Use a playbook similar to Jason Kander, and keep it up, and MO is winnable, even if it’s a bit hopium. >
  
  Don’t forget Ted Cruz! He runs away from everything. >
  
  Josh Hawley licks the corn from his own shit. >
  
  Semper Fi brother. Do not stop until your enemy's camp is reduced to a heap of slag and ashes. Our master demands it! 😆 >
  
  The far right screams at anyone who will listen that they are the tough manly men we so badly want and need when in fact they are whiney, petulant little children constantly throwing tantrums. >
  
  I suppose there’s no way Hawley loses right? That traitor should be in jail. >
  
  He is not a representative of us Josh's.. giving our name a bad name. On behalf of Josh's everywhere, fuck him. >
  
  "Woke activism." Neato! When did Josh Hawley serve in Afghanistan and Iraq? >
  
  Just a reminder: Hawley is a Timothy McVeigh apologist. >
  
  Wasn't that good. I'm from Missouri. Hawley doesn't live here. That wasn't touched on. 
  If this person wants to win in Missouri he needs to make it a point that Hawley isn't here, and he has never been here in his adult life. He's a wannabe swamp participant using the state as a tool. >
  
  Excellent ad! This is what Dems need to do 
  Moar, plz >
  
  He’s not a “key republican”. He’s part of the clown caucus: Hawley, MTG, Boebert, Gaetz, etc but they are ~20 of over 200. Their job is to draw attention from the actual key republicans that are taking away YOUR rights and enriching themselves and their friends. >
  
  20 who just held up the functioning of government for several days. And who will do so again over the debt ceiling in September. And when they want to get rid of the Speaker. >
  
  Josh Hallway >
  
  Josh Hawley is the absolute worst >
  
  He doesn’t stand a chance unfortunately in Missouri >
  
  Has Hawley announced that he is running in 2024? >
  
  crush coward hawley >
  
  Josh Hawley is a fascist bigot, but Missouri is a +15 Trump state. I fully support the Missouri Democrats trying to take this guy down, but I’m not gonna get too excited. >
  
  This guy is the definition of pathetic >
  
  The problem is Kunce is running in Missouri.  It's true that Hawley only won by 6% in 2018 but that wasn't a presidential election year so overall turnout was low.  Trump carried Missouri by over 15% in 2020 (only 3 counties voted blue in 2018 and 2020).  2024 is another presidential election year so overall turnout will be higher so the red counties from 2018 will be even redder. >
  
  Indeed. Galloway got her butt whipped in 20 against a soggy Cheerio. >
  
  Too bad the collective IQ of the state of Misery is equal to the average hat size or he might win! >
  
  Sure it is, skipper. >
  
  Oh, you mean while the ‘right wing’  white man ‘profit’ to save all white men! Awesome! then he ran away, and has absolutely no moral compass!  He has actually no consequences, except white, male supremacy >
  
  Can someone explain why Hawley is a 'key' republican? Is he actually a leader in any capacity, or has he written legislation critical to their platform, or is he a thought leader in their community?
  Because all I know about him is that he's said a few sound bites that made the rounds on Twitter and thats it. >
  
  Hawley is a sniveling little boy. More power to Kunce. >
  
  That’s such a great image of how he may handle his big orange bosses wee-wee while he supplicates himself to the Dog Turd. >
  
  Kander would be a better pick y’all. 
  Kunce failed in the Dem primary during 2022. He is going to get roasted for being only in MO to run for senate. Kunce couldn’t effectively make the argument that Hawley isn’t a real MO resident, bc he was absent from the state for a similar amount of time. >
  
  That is one last name >
  
  "You think your childhood was bad?  My parents were a couple of Kunce!" >
  
  Brave Sir Robin >
  
  In grad school he would only drink twisted teas >
  
  As a Missourian, I just want to say that what Lucas Kunce says and does doesn’t matter. He can run all he wants, but he’s just wasting his money. Missouri isn’t purple and hasn’t been in the 15 years I’ve been legally allowed to vote. There hasn’t been a single democrat who has run for senate who has earned a share of the vote even worth putting up a candidate - they’re just wasting time and money that could be spent on actually competitive candidates in other states. 
  Missouri is a lost cause. Most of our population is rural and that population shows that they only care about hurting “The Libs” in Kansas City and St. Louis even at the cost of harming themselves. >
  
  I strongly disagree.
  As someone that’s lived all over this state, we do have an uphill battle. But democrats have consistently put out garbage candidates for national elections here. That’s the problem. 
  TBV should have never ran for senate. There wasn’t a platform to float, she was just cannon fodder. And the optics of putting someone worth millions and happened to be from STL was just too damn easy. 
  We’re less than six years from having a Democratic Senator and little more than that of having a Democrat as Governor. It’s not lost. Just better candidates need to step up because the republicans know exactly what they have to float to get their votes. >
  
  It was originally a nonviolent protest. Running from a violent mob is a good idea. >
  
  Not according to testimony. No, it was never “nonviolent”, and Trump was aware that it was violent, and desired it to be violent. Hawley’s hypocrisy is mindblowing—he encouraged the mob while caught on camera fleeing said mob. >
  
  If Trump were aware it was violent, why would he want to attend? Man spent his life avoiding trouble. The violence undermined MAGA. >
  
  I watched the testimony; he talked about violent insurrectionists as being “my people/mine” (approx.—I’m going to look for a link now).  He very overtly knew “his” people wouldn’t hurt him, personally. And, at the time, he was told they had firearms—whether they did or not, he believed at the time that they did
  Edit:  hang on, “man spent his life avoiding trouble”??? Who are you talking about? I read The Art of the Deal. Trump designed trouble and boasted about it