Hawley mentor who said backing him was 'worst mistake' of his life endorses independent rival

29 August 2024

In Missouri's 2024 U.S. Senate race, incumbent Sen. Josh Hawley (a far-right MAGA Republican) is up against Democrat Lucas Kunce as well as Better Party candidate Jared Young. Hawley has been leading in the polls, which, political analysts say, is not surprising in light of how Republican Missouri is.

But Young has received an endorsement from someone who was once Hawley's political mentor: former Sen. John Danforth (R-Missouri).

A veteran of Missouri politics, Danforth served three terms in the U.S. Senate and is now 87.

Young, described by the St. Louis Post Dispatch as a "moderate conservative," thanked Danforth in a press release — saying, "I am honored by Senator Danforth's endorsement. We share the belief there are real solutions to complex problems if we can reject the angry, divisive tactics that have overtaken American politics."

When Danforth endorsed Young, the former senator said that he "embraces the ideas that have always defined the Republican Party and have been universally accepted across its membership."

Danforth endorsed Hawley in the 2018 midterms, which found Hawley ousting incumbent Democratic then-Sen. Claire McCaskill (now a pundit for MSNBC). But three years later, Danforth made it clear that he was totally disenchanted with Hawley and described that 2018 endorsement as the "worst mistake" of his life.

One of Danforth's big criticisms of Hawley is the MAGA senator's isolationist views on foreign policy.

Danforth, with his Young endorsement, said, "We are committed to supporting NATO, and we condemn Vladimir Putin's ambitions in Europe. We are steadfast in opposing Russian aggression. As a lifelong conservative now running on the Better Party ticket, Jared Young stands for the Constitution, Unity, Fiscal Responsibility, Free Markets and Peace through Strength. Josh Hawley rejects all of these."

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