On Capitol attack anniversary, challenge of Hawley announced

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Two years to the day since U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley’s now-famous raised-fist salute to rioters at the U.S. Capitol, a Marine veteran who ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2022 has announced that he’ll try to unseat Hawley in 2024. Lucas Kunce announced his bid on Friday. He served 13 years in the Marines and ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2022. A video released by Kunce’s campaign showed the photo of Hawley with his fist raised on Jan. 6, 2021. The photo drew strong criticism from some, but it now appears on coffee mugs that the senator sells. Kunce’s video features security camera footage of Hawley running through the Capitol hallway in the aftermath of the attack, with Kunce calling him a “coward.”