GOP senator Josh Hawley accused of only visiting home 'six times a year'

Sen. Josh Hawley's (R-MO) opponent is jumping on a new report showing the senator only travels home an average of six times a year.

The St. Louis Magazine sorted through public filings from the offices of elected officials to uncover what they're using taxpayer dollars to pay for.

Hawley's opponent, Lucas Kunce, says that the numbers prove the senator rarely comes back to Missouri.

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"Now we know: Josh Hawley is only in Missouri six times a year," he wrote on X.

According to the data, in the six years that Hawley has been in office, he flew from Washington back to Missouri 33 times. It averages out to six times each year.

"And almost half of the time when Hawley billed taxpayers for his flights to Missouri, they tended to be around the holidays of Easter, July 4, Thanksgiving, or Christmas and New Year’s," the report said. "He’s used taxpayer money to fly home four of the five Christmases since taking office, landing in Missouri between December 17 and 23 and then flying back on either January 2 or 3."

He also only flew back to Missouri four out of five times for Thanksgiving, Independence Day and Easter during the years 2019 through 2023.

Members of Congress have allotted funds from taxpayers that they can use when traveling for official purposes. Flying back to the state from Washington falls in that bucket, but Hawley only rarely uses it.

His longest trip home was during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis when Hawley flew home for the Easter holiday break on April 1 and stayed for the whole month until May 1.

Hawley's campaign claims that he's coming home all the time, but he just doesn't charge it on the office dime; instead, he pays for it out of his campaign to save taxpayer dollars. Hawley was caught by the Missouri Independent using private jet travel on his campaign.

So, the reporters went to campaign spending to see just how many flights and on what dates. The problem, however, is it isn't clear whether the flights were for a staffer or the Senator and the locations.

Hawley also sent taxpayers the bill on non-Missouri travel to the tune of $4,600.

The issue has been controversial because when Hawley first ran for the Senate, he claimed his parents' house as his residence, where he was ultimately put on the deed. He then registered to vote at his sister's house. In Nov. 2023, the Hawleys finally purchased a home in Christian County for $284,000.

"Josh has secured $0 in congressionally directed spending for MO as Senator. He isn't running for reelection to keep serving us — he's running to keep up his luxury lifestyle on the coast," complained Hawley's opponent.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch called Hawley the "worst sitting senator" when endorsing Lucas Kunce.

Read the full report here.