St. Louis Democrat, State Senator Karla May, officially launched her campaign for the U.S. Senate in Missouri on Tuesday. The announcement was made in her hometown of St. Louis.

May joins a Democratic primary field that already includes St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and Marine veteran Lucas Kunce. The ultimate goal for the Democratic nominee will be to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Josh Hawley in the 2024 general election.

This election holds significant historical implications. Should either May or Bell secure victory, they would be among the first, and potentially the sole, person of color to hold statewide office in Missouri. However, Democrats face a considerable uphill battle in the increasingly Republican-leaning state. May's political career began in 2010 when she was first elected to the state legislature.