Three Mo. families have contributed over $450K to presidential races

Last edited 8:41 a.m., Oct. 19, 2015

Three Missouri families – and the companies they control – are among the 158 who have contributed $250,000 or more to presidential campaigns through June 30, according to New York Times research of Federal Election Commission filings.

In all, the families across the nation have contributed a total of $176 million to Republican and Democratic candidates, nearly half the seed money raised through the end of June.

In Branson, the Herschend family, which owns Herschend Family Entertainment, operators of Silver Dollar City, gave $513,672 through June 30. That includes a donation of $500,000 to the super political action committee that supports Republican Mike Huckabee. St. Louis-area billionaire investor Rex Sinquefield donated $500,000 to early races, including $250,000 Chris Christie’s super PAC. The Fox family, founders of Clayton-based holding company Harbour Group, had given $450,000, including $250,000 to Jeb Bush’s super PAC, the Times reports.

Read more from the New York Times.