Josh Hawley in 2024 MO Senate race

On Technology: Facebook is anti-competitive, should be broken up

On Drugs: Rated C- by NORML: marijuana is a gateway drug

NORML Politician Info: rated C-
• Candidate: Josh Hawley (R - MO): Holds office U.S. Senate
• Summary: MEDICAL USE
• Comments: Senator Hawley said in a Fox4KC interview, "We now have a lot of data on marijuana use because we've got years of it being studied. We've seen study after study show that as it builds up in the body, and it does tend to linger it appears over time that it has detrimental long term health effects. It is a gateway drug. That is true." (September 2022)
• The state attorney general said last month that he was "inclined" to support one of the three medical cannabis legalization initiatives on the ballot, but he wanted to ensure that certain "guardrails" were in place to ensure that the program exclusively serves patients. "I want to look closely at how the ballot language is structured," he said. (2018)

On Abortion: Unclear on how IVF mandate would occur

Some worried about the high cost of such a policy. Others confessed they don't understand what he's proposing to do.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said "it's not clear to me" what Trump is proposing when asked about his IVF remarks.

And numerous Trump allies said his announcement, in an interview with NBC News in August, came as a surprise to them.

"I got the sense maybe it was something that he thought of on his own and wanted to float out there," Hawley said, while adding that he hadn't heard from Trump before the announcement. "He doesn't run his policy proposals by me."

None of the Republicans who spoke to NBC News said they had heard from the president directly on his IVF proposal either, though it would need to be passed by Congress to become law.

On Principles & Values: America is Christian; I advocate Christian nationalism

"In our history and in our ideals, America has been a Christian nation," Hawley said during his interview with First Alert 4. "I think most Americans believe in God and think religion is important and we should defend those folks."

"Some will say now that I am calling America a Christian nation. So I am," Hawley shared. "And some will say that I am advocating Christian nationalism. And so I do."

First Alert 4 asked Hawley how he can endorse Christian nationalism while also endorsing Former President Trump following his publicly known issues with infidelity, inciting an insurrection, and being a convicted felon. Hawley said First Alert 4's [reporter] has what he called, "Full Trump Derangement Syndrome," and said that question is not serious journalism.

On Tax Reform: End tax on tips; tariffs on China ok

On Tax cuts:
• Hawley supports eliminating taxes on tips and overtime and increasing child tax credits.
• Kunce also wants to expand child tax credits and eliminate taxes on tips. He said he wants to see tax cuts for everyone earning less than $400,000.

Tackling inflation:
• Hawley claimed inflation was a result of relying on foreign fossil fuels and instead called for reinvestment in fossil fuels in the U.S. and Missouri.
• Kunce blamed large corporations for raising prices during the pandemic and keeping prices high for the current inflation. He said he would vote to ban share buybacks.

Tariffs on China:
• Hawley: The incumbent was supportive of tariffs on China.
• Kunce: Strongly supporting tariffs on China, Kunce said all money brought in from the tariffs should be invested to counteract China's innovation and remain competitive.

On Crime: Hire more police; increase penalties

Criminal Justice: How to ensure effectiveness and fairness in law enforcement?
• Josh Hawley (R): Supports hiring more officers and increasing penalties for assaulting officers. Opposes weakening "qualified immunity for cops." Voted for the JUSTICE Act, criminalizing certain police misconduct, but with fewer limits than the George Floyd Act.
• Lucas Kunce (D): "We need the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to become law," a bill that would increase accountability for police misconduct and require improved training. It limits qualified immunity, which gives police officers liability protection in specific circumstances.

On Energy & Oil: AdWatch: Don't ban gas and diesel trucks

Hawley's claim relies on an essay Kunce wrote in the American Prospect in 2021. "For our national security, we must adopt an industrial policy to rapidly and fully decarbonize our energy and transportation sectors," Kunce wrote. "We need to ditch all fossil fuels, not just oil, the same way we ditched whale oil for petroleum in the late 1800s."

On Government Reform: Supported Jan. 6 protestors & decertifying 2020 election

Elections: Did Joe Biden win the 2020 Presidential election?
• Josh Hawley (R): Mostly no. Voted against certifying Electoral College results from two states. Cheered on Jan 6 protestors outside the Capitol. Said later "I never said that the goal was to overturn the election. That was never the point."
• Lucas Kunce (D): Yes. "It looked fair and honest and I think it was accurately decided."

On Gun Control: Oppose undermining the Second Amendment's protections

Gun Laws: Loosen or tighten gun regulation?
• Josh Hawley (R): Loosen. "Will oppose all attempts to undermine the Second Amendment's protections." Opposed a bipartisan gun safety bill with enhanced background checks for minors and support for "red flag" laws.
• Lucas Kunce (D): Tighten. Supports "red flag" laws and expanded background checks, and raising the minimum age for gun purchases to 21.

On Technology: Opposed $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill

Economy: Decrease or increase government investment in, and regulation of, the economy?
• Josh Hawley (R): Mixed. Voted against $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. Supports stronger antitrust laws, including a ban on all mergers and acquisitions by companies with a market capitalization of over $100 billion. Supports breaking up Amazon.com and large meatpacking and poultry monopolies.
• Lucas Kunce (D): Increase. Criticizes Wall Street for destroying US's production power. "Monopolists" control the defense industry. Increase the Defense Department's power to regulate contracts. Wants a "historic investment… to rebuild our forgotten towns and cities… and start making stuff in America again."