Butker says Hawley is the 'first candidate' he's endorsing
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker endorsed Josh Hawley in his senatorial re-election bid, praising the former Missouri attorney general for being a "family" and "godly" man.
Butker and Hawley made a joint appearance Thursday on "The Ingraham Angle," and the NFL star said since he had a bye week, he wanted to hit the campaign trail.
"We decided to stay in Kansas City, and I thought, who else would I want to hit the campaign trail with than Sen. Josh Hawley, who we've spent the last several years together forming this relationship, and he's a family man, he's a godly man, and there's no other person I'd want to support to be the first candidate that I'm endorsing," Butker said.
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker endorsed Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., in his reelection bid.
Hawley, who's running against Democratic candidate Lucas Kunce, said it’s an "honor" to have Butker’s endorsement and to have the Chiefs kicker out on the campaign trail with him.
"This is a guy who's not afraid to speak the truth, who's not afraid to say that we have got to stand on the principles that this country was founded on. And when the left came after him in such a crazy, nutty way this last spring, he didn't give an inch. And we need more of that in the United States of America," Hawley told "The Ingraham Angle."
Butker came under fire earlier this year over remarks he made about women and their careers during a commencement address at Benedictine College.
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gives the 2024 commencement address at Benedictine College.
He praised the female graduates for their accomplishments, but said they’ve been told "diabolical lies" and should embrace becoming a "homemaker."
HARRISON BUTKER'S FAITH-DRIVEN COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AT BENEDICTINE COLLEGE: READ THE SPEECH HERE
"Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother," Butker said at the time.
He told Fox News host Laura Ingraham he’s "saddened" some people took his words in a "poor manner."
Butker, who has played for the Kansas City Chiefs since 2017, is a commited Catholic and (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
"I was trying to speak life for so many women that have dedicated their life to being the homemaker, being the one that raises the children, and it's a beautiful role, but it's not a role that should be diminished," he explained.
"There's nothing shameful if you are a woman and you want to spend time with your family and raise your children, so it's not putting down anyone who maybe wants to go get a great education and have a career, but it's more talking about how beautiful it is for women to maybe just step aside and prioritize their family and spend time with their children and raise their family. And that's what I was just trying to speak love about."
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Ingraham switched gears, asking the Chiefs kicker if he’s supporting former President Trump in November, but Butker said he’s only supporting the presidential candidate who is "going to be the most pro-life."
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a town hall event in Fayetteville, N.C., Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker) (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
"Is there any equivocation about supporting Trump?" Ingraham pressed.
"I think you have to vote for whoever is going to be the most pro-life," Butker responded. "And we have to be prayerful men that put God first, and I think that's what's going to be best for our country."
Ashley Carnahan is a writer at Fox News Digital.