This is Lucas Kunce in Missouri. John -- in the Marines, knowingly undermining our national security would get you court-martialed and thrown in the brig.

It’s a damn shame we can’t do that in the U.S. Senate.

Three months ago, I published an op-ed in Fox News explaining why Senator Tommy Tuberville’s already months-long blockade of military confirmations was a serious threat to our country’s national security. Not much has changed since then.

Tuberville, and other Senators like Josh Hawley, have continued to sabotage our military because they think their personal politics are more important.

It’s not just wrong -- it’s stupid. So before I ask you to split a donation between my campaign to replace Josh Hawley and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee's work electing progressives across the country, please let me share my perspective as a 13-year Marine veteran about the real impact this blockade has on service members, military families, and our national security:

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Senator Tommy Tuberville has blocked hundreds of military promotions this year. He claims he’s doing it because government funds have been made available to cover travel for some service members getting abortions.

So now, because he’s decided to put his personal politics ahead of the needs of our military and national security, promotions aren’t going through -- and people who’ve given decades of their lives to this country are being asked (or forced) to change their plans or not retire.

It’s the one thing they thought they had control over, now frozen in place.

People aren’t getting the promotion they worked so hard for. Their families are facing uncertainty about where they’ll work or send their kids to school.

It’s just another example of our politicians using service members for political leverage. The same way they recently used us veterans for political leverage by holding up the PACT Act -- which takes care of us for burn pit exposure we received in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It's absolutely demoralizing to see them use us like this over and over again.

Senator Tuberville is quite literally punishing military families for things that other people have done that he doesn't like. It's shameful, it's selfish, and it's stupid because it also damages our national security.

I saw the impact for myself when I was representing the US in arms control negotiations with NATO allies and Russia from 2016 to 2019. When you've got American officers with lower ranks going up against generals and admirals in critical meetings and negotiations -- our allies, our partners, other countries, and our adversaries notice. Russia and China, they notice too.

This blockade means dozens, if not hundreds, of military officers are going to have to explain why the US is sending significantly lower ranks than their counterparts to critical meetings and negotiations around the globe.

When China sends a high-ranking general to meet with a third country and we send a one-star acting commander, that undermines our country, our position, and our national security. It's going to look like we don't care, it's going to look like we aren't serious, and people are going to question our country's resolve.

Weakening the position of our representatives overseas weakens our national security. Period. And that's exactly what Senator Tuberville is doing.

We can’t afford to let Tuberville and Hawley spend any more time sabotaging our troops or our national security -- and that’s just part of the reason why I’m running to defeat Hawley and take back power for everyday people.

I want to be a real voice for service members, veterans, and working people all across the country. And I’m committed to standing up to any corrupt politician like Tuberville who tries to get in my way. But I can’t do it without your help:

So John, will you split a donation of whatever you can afford between my grassroots campaign and the PCCC today? I don’t take a single cent from corporate PACs, federal lobbyists, or defense contractors -- so you’ll always know I’m standing up for real, everyday people in the U.S. Senate.

Thanks for hearing me out,

-- Lucas Kunce

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