JOPLIN, Mo. – If anyone in Missouri had a good night on Aug. 2, it was David Humphreys, the Joplin-based Missouri mega-donor who has donated millions to candidates who support right-to-work legislation.
Aside from Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder’s loss to Eric Greitens in the Republican gubernatorial primary, most of Humphreys’ recipients emerged victorious. Joshua Hawley toppled state Sen. Kurt Schaefer in the attorney general’s race, Bill Eigel narrowly beat labor supporter Rep. Anne Zerr in a big state senate race, and even anti-union Democratic Rep. Courtney Allen Curtis won his primary.
And in the last few weeks, Humphreys has shown exactly where he hopes to make his next gains.
Since Aug. 18, Humphreys has donated over $2.1 million to various political action committees and candidates for office. The donations include a $1 million donation to his own PAC, the Committee for Accountable Government in Missouri. The PAC has attacked pro-union candidates in the past. He also gave $250,000 each to the Eastern Missouri Senate PAC and the Central Missouri Senate Republican PAC.
His other donations mostly consist of $50,000 and $25,000 donations to candidates running for either state Senate or state Representative. So far, he has given money to Reps. Marsha Haefner, Cloria Brown, Chuck Basye, Andrew Koenig, Rob Vescovo, Dan Shaul, Nathan Beard, and Rick Brattin. He has also given to candidates Jean Evans (District 99), Mary Hill (17), Phil Christofanelli (105), Steve Helms (135), and Mark Matthiesen (70).
Humphreys also donated to Ernie Trakas in his bid for St. Louis County Council.
The donor indirectly received some flak for his decision to go after anti-Right-to-Work Republicans like Zerr, Rep. Nick King and Sheila Solon, but his renewed commitment to Republican candidates indicates that he’s not simply trying to purge the GOP of any pro-union sentiment. Now, his money will go to defeating Democrats, as well.
However, Missourians will also vote in November on a ballot issue from Returning Government to the People which would set limits on campaign contributions and punish anyone who attempts to hide large-scale donations. That ballot issue could stymie this kind of spending from Humphreys in the future.
