Here’s the latest news out of Missouri courtesy of Morning Consult’s latest poll:
In Missouri, Hawley — who was abandoned by his political mentor, former Sen. Jack Danforth (R-Mo.), and a handful of large financial backers following his starring role in the push to challenge Biden’s victory — ceded much of his popularity edge over Republican Sen. Roy Blunt: Just over 3 in 5 Republicans in the Show-Me State now approve of both incumbents.
Hawley defended his move in a Missouri op-ed, saying, “I will not bow to a lawless mob, or allow criminals to drown out the legitimate concerns of my constituents.”
Blunt, who distanced himself from Hawley’s decision to object to the results of the election in a CBS interview, faces a re-election campaign next year. Hawley’s footing remains more solid than Blunt’s with the party’s base, as strategists believe the biggest threat to Blunt’s bid for a third term would come from a primary challenger. Three in 10 Missouri Republicans “strongly” approve of the junior senator who was elected in 2018, compared with 18 percent who favor Blunt with the same vigor.
That gap between the share of Missouri Republicans who “strongly” approve of Hawley and Blunt has narrowed to approximately where it was throughout November and December, before Hawley announced on Dec. 30 that he would join with House Republicans to object to Biden’s victory. It previously stood at 23 points ahead of Jan. 6 as Blunt helped certify Biden’s victory in his role as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee.
Among all voters in their respective states, both Cruz and Hawley have seen opposition grow over the past two or three months. Compared with surveys conducted Oct. 31-Nov. 9 — before the fallout of the 2020 election began to build — the share of all Texas voters who disapprove of Cruz increased 6 points, to 44 percent, while the share of Missourians who disapprove of Hawley in Missouri increased 14 points, to 49 percent.
While we still have a while to go until the 2022 midterms and while Missouri is a deep red state, we are still seeing that Trumpism is still plaguing the GOP. It’s clear Hawley’s traitorous moves were meant to keep Trump’s voters energized, especially as he’s thinking about running for the GOP nomination in 2024. But karma might be coming to bite Hawley on the ass:
Democrats are looking for revenge against Sen. Josh Hawley after he challenged the results of the presidential election last week.
A group of ex-staffers for former Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill are launching a new organization dedicated to preventing Hawley from winning any further election, whether it’s reelection to the Senate in 2024 or in a future presidential run, according to a source familiar with the effort. Hawley defeated McCaskill in 2018.
The new group is called JOSH PAC, an acronym for Just Oust Seditious Hacks. The organization formally registered with the Federal Election Commission this week and has quietly set up a website and Twitter account.
As for Blunt, we’ll just have to wait and see. In the mean time, let’s help the Missouri Democratic Party get a much needed boost in the Show Me State. Click below to donate and get involved with the Missouri Democratic Party and JOSH PAC:
Missouri Democratic Party
JOSH PAC