2018 is here, and midterm campaigns are heating up. While a lot of the focus is on the House of Representatives, Democrats are quietly worrying about a handful of Senate seats they hold in deep red states – Missouri being one of them.

Claire McCaskill is regarded as one of the most vulnerable of those Democratic Senators, and the race to challenge her is on. On the Republican side, there is a small handful of folks, but the best chance they have of defeating McCaskill is a conservative named Josh Hawley.

I’ve had the privilege of talking to Hawley, but you don’t need to speak with him to know he’s the right man for the job. A simple look at his record as Missouri Attorney General tells you all you need to know.

In Hawley, we see a man who has stood up for his constituents. He’s taken on Big Tech companies – like Facebook and Google – and is defending his state’s pro-life legislation in three different lawsuits, including a federal challenge.

Perhaps most impressively, though, is the fact that he was on the team defending Hobby Lobby at the Supreme Court when our religious liberties were being infringed upon by the Obama Administration.

That’s why Hawley is the right guy. We’re not looking for Senate candidates who talk about supporting the President against this or that, and we’re not looking for someone with vague ideas about what it means to be a conservative in Congress.

Hawley has specifically stated that he wants to push ahead with further protecting your religious liberties, and strengthening the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. He believes that the government can’t tell you to leave your beliefs at home.

Most importantly, he understands that standing up for your liberties means that it could put him at odds with his fellow Republicans at times – and he’s willing to do that.

We’re fast approaching a point in this country where the courts are going to be the primary battleground going forward. Legislative battles are coming less frequently, and we’re seeing the courts becoming the place where policy is ultimately decided. For better or worse, that’s where we are.

And in recognizing that, Hawley is the type of guy who is going to support constitutional judges and justices, and vote against the nominees who are more liberal in their interpretation.

This isn’t something you’re going to find in every candidate, especially in the current political climate. With Hawley, we’re getting someone who will fight for his constituents and the American people. We’re not getting someone who is going to be a “Yes!” man for the GOP. It’s that type of person the Senate needs, and if you’re in Missouri, that’s the man you need to vote for on August 7, 2018.