Incumbent Democratic senator Claire McCaskill is locked in a tight re-election battle with Republican challenger Josh Hawley, with both candidates slugging it out in a race becoming more and more personal the closer we get to election day.

McCaskill has tried to portray herself as a "moderate" Democrat, in tune with Missouri voters on most issues, while trying to hide some of her more radical views.  This became clear when Project Vertias's James O'Keefe unleashed his hidden cameras on staffers for McCaskill who let slip that the senator is concealing an anti-gun agenda.

MCCASKILL: "Well if we elect enough Democrats we'll get some gun safety stuff done.  They won't let us vote on it, we've got 60 votes for a number of measures that would help with gun safety, but McConnell won't let 'em come to the floor."

JOURNALIST: "Like bump stocks, ARs and high capacity mags...?"

MCCASKILL: "Universal background checks, all of that... But if we have the kind of year I think we might have I think we could actually be in a position to get votes on this stuff on the floor and we'd get 60 [votes]..."

JOURNALIST: "So you would be on board with the bump stocks and... high capacity mags."

MCCASKILL: "Of course! Of course!"

Despite her strong views on gun control, Senator McCaskill does not tend to promote them on the campaign trail or on her website. Rob Mills, who works on Senator McCaskill's campaign, says that is "...because she has a bunch of Republican voters."

Another individual who works on Senator McCaskill campaign, Carson Pope, adds that "...a semi-automatic rifle ban is more so what she would support."

Now, let's be honest and admit that most politicians shade their beliefs to conform with what they're told the voters want.  But let's also be honest and admit that McCaskill would be in political hot water if it became known that she supported an "assault weapon" ban.

According to Mills, Senator McCaskill conceals her support of Moms Demand Action, a gun control group, and other similar organizations because they would "hurt her ability to get elected."

MILLS: "But she doesn't openly go out and support groups like 'Mom's Demand Action' or just like other groups that are related to that.  Because that could hurt, her ability to get elected.  Because people like see that and they're like well I don't want to support her even though they stand for the same policies..."

MILLS: "She's worked out stuff with Mom's [sic] Demand Action to make sure that she can support their goals without supporting the organization openly.  And you know, Mom's [sic] Demand Action does the exact same thing.  Like a lot of our volunteers are actually from there.  She's really good about strategy and making sure she has a goal and can get there."

Nicolas Starost, another individual who works on Senator McCaskill's campaign, explains how former president Obama won't campaign for Senator McCaskill in Missouri despite their similar views on politics.  Starost says this is because Senator McCaskill needs to distance herself from the Democratic Party to appeal to more voters:

STAROST: "Because of how like, cause he's a very liberal candidate.  And like... Claire distancing herself from the party is gonna help her win more votes than it will saying like: 'Oh here's Obama, the former President of the United States, to now speak on my behalf.'  Which is unfortunate because I love Obama to pieces, and I'd love to see him come here."

JOURNALIST: "And they essentially have the same views on everything?"

STAROST: "Yeah.  People just can't know that."

In red states like Missouri and North Dakota, incumbent Democrats do their best to hide their party affiliation.  They need Republican votes to win, and cozying up to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer would be the kiss of death.  A campaign appearance by former President Obama would excite Democrats but lose the candidate more votes than he would gain.

McCaskill walks a tightrope, trying not to offend Republicans while maintaining contact with her liberal base.  As the Project Veritas video shows, it's a balancing act that, by necessity, involves lying to Missouri voters about her real intentions.