Democrat vows to stand up to ‘billionaire heiresses’ as new rival enters U.S. Senate race

Lucas Kunce’s campaign, in a statement issued Tuesday, called its candidate a “warrior” who would “stand up” to “billionaire heiresses” — a not-so-veiled jab at Trudy Busch Valentine who emerged Monday to challenge Kunce and others in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary.

Valentine is the daughter of Anheuser-Busch beer baron August “Gussie” Busch, who owned the baseball Cardinals and died in 1989.

Her announcement was the most eyebrow-raising development to come out of the last two days of candidate filing, which ends Tuesday.

Valentine’s entrance Monday preceded another Democrat’s exit from the race. Former state Sen. Scott Sifton, who had been considered Kunce’s chief rival, dropped out after Valentine filed paperwork.

Instead of endorsing Kunce, and therefore helping to consolidate the Democratic field, Sifton threw his weight behind Valentine.

It was unclear to what extent Sifton coordinated with Valentine on her announcement. Sifton, through a spokesman, didn’t respond to a question about why he backed Valentine instead of endorsing Kunce.

Sifton had focused most on criticizing former Gov. Eric Greitens during this campaign rather than intraparty rivals. Greitens’ second ex-wife, Sheena Chestnut Greitens, last week accused him in a court filing of abuse.

“As Democrats, we need to be united,” Sifton said in a statement. “Eric Greitens simply cannot be our next senator, and I know that Trudy Busch Valentine gives us the best chance to win in November.”

On Tuesday, an unsigned statement from Kunce’s campaign said: “Missouri deserves a warrior for working people, a proven patriot who’s served his country, who has the courage to stand up to criminal politicians, corrupt elites running massive multinational corporations, and billionaire heiresses who have been stripping our communities for parts. Lucas Kunce is that warrior.”

Asked how Valentine had stripped communities for parts, a spokesman for Kunce’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for Valentine’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Post-Dispatch reported in May that Kunce didn’t vote in Missouri in 2018. He said he voted in Washington, D.C., for the November 2020 elections, but the D.C. Election Board had no record of that.

The Republican field, meanwhile, drew six major candidates by the end of candidate filing: Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey and U.S. Reps. Billy Long and Vicky Hartzler.

Among the other high-profile contests near the end of candidate filing include:

• Auditor race: Republicans will choose between current State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick and current state Rep. David Gregory, R-Sunset Hills. Former state Rep. Alan Green, a Democrat, is also running.

• 1st Congressional District Democratic primary: Incumbent Rep. Cori Bush, a Northwoods Democrat, will take on state Sen. Steve Roberts Jr., D-St. Louis, as well as four other men in the August primary: Ron Harshaw, Michael Daniels, Earl Childress and David Koehr.

While Bush has been criticized for some of her votes, including her decision not to support President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, Roberts will have to face questions about past allegations of sexual assault.

• 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary: Three Democrats — state Rep. Trish Gunby, Ben Samuels and Ray Reed — are running for the 2nd, held by incumbent U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner.

Wagner must first win her own primary. One of Wagner’s three opponents in Paul Berry III, who ran for St. Louis County executive in 2020.

• 22nd Senate District: The GOP race to replace term-limited state Sen. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial, could prove to be one of the most colorful down-ballot primaries this August. Three current state representatives — Shane Roden of Cedar Hill, Dan Shaul of Imperial and Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold — are running.

Former Democratic state Rep. Jeff Roorda, of Arnold, is running as the fourth Republican in the race — a reflection of Jefferson County’s rightward shift.

Democrat Benjamin Hagin, of Barnhart, is also running for the district, which covers the northern half of the county. He entered the race on Monday.

2nd District: Senate President Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, and Rep. Nick Schroer, R-St. Charles County, are the two Republicans running for the 2nd District. 

Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis, currently holds the seat, but he is term-limited and running for St. Charles County executive.

Michael Sinclair, a Democrat, signed up to run for the Republican-leaning seat, covering western St. Charles County.

4th District: Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, won’t face a Democratic primary after state Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, filed to run for his final term in the House on Monday.

He had been considering a run for the redrawn district, which now stretches as far west as Warson Woods.