Gifts from 2 fuel Huckabee run

PAC donations of Arkansan, Missourian add up to $3.5M

Republican presidential candidate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee speaks at the American Legislative Exchange Council 42nd annual meeting Thursday, July 23, 2015 in San Diego.
Republican presidential candidate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee speaks at the American Legislative Exchange Council 42nd annual meeting Thursday, July 23, 2015 in San Diego.

An Arkansas businessman and a Missouri theme park co-owner are the two largest contributors to a political action committee promoting the presidential campaign of Republican Mike Huckabee.

Ronald Cameron, chief executive of Mountaire Corp. in Little Rock, donated $3 million to Pursuing America's Greatness, the pro-Huckabee super PAC. Sherry Herschend, who is with Branson's Silver Dollar City, has donated $500,000.

Together, they've given 97 percent of the money collected by the group, according to documents filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission.

Cameron is just one of the donors of $1 million or more to presidential candidates' super PACs this election cycle, according to The Associated Press.

One of the largest gifts came from an energy investor named Toby Neugebauer, who contributed $10 million to a super PAC favoring one of Huckabee's rivals -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. A Texas family that made billions of dollars in the shale gas industry gave another $15 million to a second pro-Cruz PAC.

The family that owns the Chicago Cubs gave more than $5 million to promote a PAC favoring another GOP presidential hopeful -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. A Wisconsin woman also contributed $5 million to help elect Walker, AP said.

Cameron did not immediately respond to a request for comment left with his assistant. But Herschend said she's glad to help the former Arkansas governor.

The Missourian said she's visited Israel more than 40 times -- including six trips with Huckabee.

Huckabee, she said, is an enthusiastic and accessible travel colleague.

"I have seen big celebrities, I've seen big pastors, I've seen all kinds of people come over there with their tour groups. But you know what? They stay in their hotel during the day and maybe they'll come out and make a little talk. But not Mike Huckabee," she said.

Herschend said she visits Israel to see where Jesus walked. She said Huckabee shares the same passion for Christianity and she respects that.

When he ran in 2008, "it wasn't the right time. He didn't have any money, because of these darn PACs," she said, laughing. "His time is changing because he's got people that will support him financially."

Herschend said she didn't believe that money should play such a large role in the political process but wanted to support her candidate.

"We were big Bush people," she said. "But there was never a question, because to me, and I'll tell you from my Christian standpoint, he's the only one I feel that it's a true calling."

Beside the Pursuing America's Greatness gift, Herschend has two other recent donations listed in the Federal Election Commission public database, giving $1,000 to former U.S. Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri and $250 to the Missouri Republican State Committee in 2013, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit group that tracks campaign funding.

Peter Herschend, another co-owner of Herschend Family Entertainment and Silver Dollar City, has spent more than $139,000 on political donations to conservative causes.

Cameron is a prolific donor, too. He is the third-largest donor to candidates and parties and 84th-largest donor to outside groups, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The business he leads, Mountaire, is privately owned and the seventh-largest poultry company in the United States, according to WATTAgNet, an industry publication.

In total, he gave more than $1 million to conservative groups, including the Freedom Partners Action Fund, a group aligned with billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, and the Republican Party of Arkansas.

Officials with the state party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Only four other people have donated to Pursuing America's Greatness.

Jon K. Gibson, a real estate investor in Nebraska, donated $50,000; Cary M. Maguire, president of Maguire Oil Co. in Texas, gave $50,000; Peter Worth, chairman and chief executive of American Benefits Consulting in New York, donated $3,000; and Nicholas Ryan, president of Concordia Group in Iowa, gave $1,000.

Karen Sebold, a University of Arkansas political science assistant professor, said the contributions came at an important time.

"This money really keeps his name out there, which is really hard since you have one or two candidates really sucking up air in the vacuum right now," she said. "It's going to keep him in the game longer. It's going to keep him afloat until Iowa and New Hampshire."

Huckabee is a second-tier candidate, she said. He doesn't have the money of Jeb Bush, but he has enough name recognition and support to make it to the first GOP debate.

The money likely will pay for campaign advertisements and events in early primary states, she said.

Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, but Huckabee's campaign can't coordinate with Pursuing America's Greatness directly.

Metro on 08/01/2015

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