Friend — born-and-raised Missourian John Goodman here.

In a moment, I’ll ask you to join me in supporting Lucas Kunce in the critical U.S. Senate race happening in my home state and Debbie Murcasel-Powell. But first, I think we need to talk about family values.

I learned what family values meant while growing up in Missouri, the most beautiful state in the union.

I also learned what that didn’t mean.

Family values didn’t mean cruelty. It didn’t mean fake patriotism. It didn’t mean telling people how to live, or family profits. It didn’t mean making life harder for hardworking people. And it sure as hell didn’t mean robbing people of their rights or tax dollars.

None of that is family values … that’s something else.

Growing up in working-class neighborhoods in Missouri, Lucas and I both learned what it meant for a family to live paycheck to paycheck.

We also learned the real meaning of family values — but not from rich politicians and self-help authors like Josh Hawley.

We’re the Show-Me State. People showed us.

People like the neighbors and church friends that helped Lucas’ family get by when his parents were bankrupted by medical bills. People like the Scout master, track coach, and public school teachers who mentored and supported Lucas growing up. People like the veterans at Lucas’ local Marine Corps league in mid-Missouri, who taught him that he could honor and protect everyone who took care of him by serving like they did.

Lucas and I both learned that family values are really about people taking care of each other and doing the right thing. Through good times, and tough times.

All that other noise from the politicians …

That’s something else.

In Missouri this November, there’s a real choice in the Senate race. Josh Hawley only won his last race with 51% of the vote — and that was before he helped overturn Roe, enacted a total abortion ban, voted against IVF and birth control, stalled healthcare for veterans, and cost taxpayers $250,000 by breaking transparency laws to help his own campaign.

Lucas Kunce is the Marine veteran who can beat him. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

So I’m asking: Will you join me in supporting Lucas Kunce in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by splitting a donation of any amount today? Lucas is committed to building his campaign the right way, without a dollar from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists, so anything you can give really will make a big impact.

Thanks for listening,

John Goodman