Josh Hawley, Lucas Kunce squabble face-to-face at Missouri State Fair

SEDALIA, Mo. – Missouri U.S. Senate candidates Josh Hawley and Lucas Kunce clashed face-to-face during a tense, informal encounter at the Missouri State Fair as the two work to negotiate terms for a debate.

Hawley and Kunce have sought to debate each other since their Republican and Democratic primary wins for a Senate seat, though are at an apparent impasse over debate terms .

In video from Missouri Nexstar affiliate WDAF, Hawley and Kunce squabble with one another over the possibility of a debate, though it doesn’t appear they officially have agreed to structure.

Hawley, the incumbent, has asked Kunce to a debate with involvement from the Missouri Farm Bureau, an organization which has publicly endorsed him. Kunce, the challenger, has pushed for a series of five televised debates.

In the video, Hawley was asked if he would agree to a televised debate, to which he said, “Sure. But [Kunce has] got to show up.” Hawley also insists on keeping the debate at a site near the Missouri State Fairgrounds and with the Farm Bureau keeping time.

Kunce has declined such arrangements. His campaign tells FOX 2 that the Missouri Farm Bureau’s involvement would violate Federal Election Commission law due to its endorsement of Hawley.

Hawley and Kunce both originally set sights to debate Thursday shortly after their primary campaign wins, though it’s unclear if a formal debate will happen due to ongoing disagreements over debate terms.

The two met at the Missouri State Fairgrounds early Thursday morning around the Ham’s Breakfast, though the fairgrounds has declined to host a Hawley-Kunce debate.

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