Ozarks businesspeople show their political colors

Greene County Presiding Commissioner Dave Coonrod has received significant financial support from construction contractors and real estate groups.

And one local developer cut checks to two state legislators – a Democrat and Republican – for their work on the Missouri State University name change.

Springfield Business Journal uncovered these findings and others during a review of Missouri Ethics Commission and Federal Election Commission records.

Talent-McCaskill race

The senatorial race between Talent and McCaskill may be neck-and-neck with only two weeks left till Election Day, but Talent is the big winner when it comes to fund-raising in the Ozarks.

As of Oct. 11, individuals in the Springfield metropolitan area had raised $243,300 for Talent, according to campaign finance data gathered by the Center for Responsive Politics. Springfield ranked fourth in Talent support behind St. Louis, Kansas City and Washington, D.C., respectively.

Two Springfield ZIP codes also made the center’s list of top contributors to Talent’s campaign. ZIP code 65809 was No. 8 with $100,450 raised, and 65804 was No. 10 with $64,600 in contributions.

Talent’s campaign contributions between Jan. 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006, read like a laundry list of prominent business figures in the Springfield area.

Longtime Republican booster John Mahaffey and his family gave $12,850 to Talent’s campaign. Mahaffey is president of Mahaffey Enterprises, which owns radio stations in Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas, and is a staunch supporter of President George Bush and U.S. Sen. Kit Bond. Mahaffey is unabashed about his political leanings.

“If you’re going to wear your colors, you’ve got to wear them where people can see them,” he said.

The families behind pharmaceuticals wholesaler McQueary Bros. Drug Co. and industrial fan manufacturer Loren Cook Co. augmented Talent’s campaign by kicking in $12,300 and $10,500, respectively.

And Bass Pro Shops President John L. and wife Jeanie Morris combined for $8,400 in contributions to Talent’s coffers, while SRC Holdings Corp. President and CEO Jack Stack and wife Elizabeth gave $8,000 to Missouri’s junior senator.

Not everyone behind Springfield’s largest and most successful businesses were Talent supporters.

Charlie O’Reilly of O’Reilly Automotive bolstered McCaskill’s campaign to the tune of $3,900. His wife, Mary Beth, gave another $2,000 to McCaskill.

But O’Reilly’s brother, Larry, directed $950 to Talent.

Charlie O’Reilly, who’s been removed from the company’s day-to-day operations for four years, said that his contribution to McCaskill’s campaign was personal in nature, not on behalf of the family business.

Some businesspeople contacted by SBJ declined to comment further about their campaign contributions, citing concerns about alienating or upsetting customers.

But investment banker Nadia Cavner at The Signature Bank was vocal about her support for McCaskill. Cavner gave $1,000 to McCaskill and $250 to Springfield attorney Doug Harpool, a Democrat who’s running against state Sen. Norma Champion.

“I feel like she’s a woman of her own,” Cavner said, suggesting McCaskill is an independent thinker. “I think Claire has done a good job as auditor, and I believe she will be a clear voice (in Washington).”

Cavner, who has voted for candidates in both parties, said she’s the exception in a business sector that has historically aligned itself with Republicans and fiscally conservative politicians.

“I do get a hard time from some of my peers,” she said.

Most of McCaskill’s contributors from the Springfield area were attorneys – a list that included Mayor Tom Carlson.

Altogether, they contributed more than $23,000 to her campaign, records show.

Closer to home

The Talent-McCaskill race may be attracting the most attention – and money – but several area businesspeople also have made their mark on county and statewide races.

Many Talent contributors also gave money to Champion, who’s seeking a second term as state senator.

Springfield developer Bryan Magers gave $1,000 to Talent and $700 to Champion. He also gave $300 to state Rep. Sara Lampe, a Democrat incumbent who’s defending her 138th District seat against Republican Steve Helms.

Magers said he contributed to Champion and Lampe for the same reason. “That was based solely on their work on the name change at Missouri State,” he said. “They were both leaders on that.”

Also of note: Greene County Presiding Commissioner Dave Coonrod, a Democrat, raised a substantial amount of money from contractors and real estate developers.

Contributors in those categories who gave $500 or more to Coonrod include Killian Construction, Bowman Construction, KCC Contractors, Warren Davis Properties and Finley River Realty Inc.

Coonrod is running against state Rep. Brad Roark, a Republican who has received $650 contributions from Positronic Industries and Jerry and Loren Cook II of Loren Cook Co.