Hawley plans exploratory committee to challenge McCaskill

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley is taking a first step toward entering the race for U.S. Senate.

Hawley spokesman Scott Paradise on Wednesday confirmed the Republican will launch an exploratory committee this week for a possible challenge to Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Big-name Missouri Republicans and donors coalesced around Hawley as a favored candidate to challenge McCaskill. She’s among 10 Senate Democrats running in states won by President Donald Trump.

“This committee will abide by all applicable FEC contribution and expenditure limits and make quarterly disclosures as required by law,” Paradise said in an email to ABC 17 News. “Josh’s state campaign committee has ceased expenditures and the soliciting or accepting of donations while he considers becoming a federal candidate.”

An exploratory committee will allow Hawley to start raising money for a bid before he announces a final decision. Paradise said the state campaign committee will no longer accept donations, and won’t spend any money while the federal committee is active.

While he had close to $1 million in his state campaign coffers at the end of June from his 2016 race for attorney general, he can’t use that money on a federal race.

Democrats were quick to seize on Hawley’s campaign ads from the race for attorney general. One ad shows Hawley surrounded by people climbing ladders as Hawley called out politicians for using one elected position to get another.

The Missouri Democratic Party sent a screenshot of the June 13 tweet from Hawley that displayed the video as the party’s response to the Hawley news.

McCaskill’s campaign manager David Kirby criticized Hawley for considering another job less than a year into his current one. Hawley was sworn in as attorney general in January, winning the election handily over Democrat Teresa Hensley.

“That’s exactly what Missourians can’t stand about politics – it represents the worst kind of politician, and calls into question what other promises Josh Hawley will break,” Kirby said.

Federal election records show McCaskill’s campaign committe has $5.1 million on hand as of June 30.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)