RTW-backing megadonor David Humphreys is sitting out the 2020 election

Jefferson City — Republican megadonor David Humphreys, who bankrolled the election of disgraced former Gov. Eric Greitens and the voter-defeated effort to bring the phony “right-to-work” to Missouri, is sitting  out the 2020 election.

Humphreys, the CEO of Joplin-based TAMKO Building Products who showered millions of dollars on Republican candidates in 2016, told the Post-Dispatch through a spokeswoman that he is staying out of politics this year because of the toll of the coronavirus and the divisive nature of politics.

“During the pandemic and economic crisis, David’s full-time attention and resources have been focused on his business and helping his community and charities that he and his family support,” said Kim Eckerman, communications chief for TAMKO.

In addition, Eckerman said Humphreys, who did not support President Donald Trump’s 2016 election, said the nation is too divided and “believes that now is a time we should all come together. Accordingly, he is not allocating resources to the presidential or state political campaigns,” she said.

HELPED BRING GREITENS TO POWER
Humphreys’ contributions in 2016 helped bring Greitens and then-Attorney General Josh Hawley to power. During the 2016 election cycle, he and his family contributed more than $14 million to Republicans, particularly those candidates who support anti-worker, anti-union “right-to-work” legislation.

Humphreys also contributed millions to GOP candidates in other states and gave Hawley money for his successful 2018 bid for the U.S. Senate.

Humphreys later reversed his support for Greitens, urging the scandal-plagued political newcomer to resign in April 2018, a day after a special committee of the Missouri House released a bombshell report detailing allegations of sexual coercion and blackmail.

In 2019, he urged Republican Gov. Mike Parson to veto a restrictive abortion law, saying a lack of exceptions allowing for abortion in cases of rape and incest of the mother was “bad public policy and bad for Missourians.”

Parson signed the measure anyway.