Joplin builder, St. Louis PAC top Emery backers

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories about the campaign contributions and expenditures of state and federal candidates in the recent primary elections.

By James R. Campbell

Nevada Daily Mail

State Senate District 31 candidate Ed Emery of Lamar raised more than $300,000 and needed most of that to win his Aug. 7 Republican primary race against State Rep. Scott Largent of Clinton and car dealer Dave Morris of Peculiar.

Emery, who served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2002 to 2010, told the State Ethics Commission in Jefferson City that he entered his Nov. 6 general election race against Drexel Democrat Charlie Burton with about $6,000 on hand.

His top contributors included Ethelmae and David Humphreys of Tamko Building Products roofing company, Joplin, who gave $50,000 each, and the Missouri Club for Growth, which contributed $40,000. The club is a St. Louis-based conservative political action committee concerned with fiscal issues, according to references.

Other Emery supporters were Muller Transportation, Butler, Orscheln Management, Moberly, Jerry Marti, Lamar, and Kale Regier, Fayetteville, Ark., $1,000 each; Scott Buerge, Nevada, Susan Phillips, Kansas City, and Max Motors II, Butler, $500 each; LaClede Political Action Committee, St. Louis, $325; Garden City Plastics, $300; Lisa Wood, Columbia, Ralph Horton, Portland, Tex., Richard Harmon, Peculiar, and Gene Irwin, Adrian, $250 each; John Collet, Leawood, Kan., $239; Robert Holliger, Independence, $200; and Nathan Mammen, Falls Church, Va., $191.

Chris Patterson, a Pleasant Hill oil company owner, provided $7,500 in in-kind services with his donation of three months' rent for Emery's Harrisonville headquarters.

Giving $100 each were Clifton Ehlen, Warrenton, James Danner, Freeman, Wayne Kennedy, Richards, James Junkin, Raymore, Leon Emery, Deerfield, Helen Emery, Nevada, Sharon Neff, Garden City, William Greenstreet, Creighton, Dennis Begley, Harrisonville, and Dr. G.B. Swearingen, Lamar.

Emery said Tuesday that most of his expenditures were for media advertising.

Others costs included $13,941 for signs, bumper stickers, magnets and emery boards from the VictoryStore in Davenport, Iowa; $13,000, American Viewpoint, Alexandria, Va., polling; $4,000, Jimmy Morris, Joplin, political consulting; $3,289, L&P Printing Solutions, Carthage, stationery, brochures and cards; $3,238, USPS; $3,000, Ad Trend, Kansas City, billboard rentals; $2,600, Lettershop, Joplin, printing; $2,521, Singularis Group, Shawnee Mission, Kan., Victory Phone System; $1,750, Polaction, El Cajon, Calif., phone action; $1,664, All Seasons Signs, Joplin, hats and T-shirts; $1,399, Nevada Ad Specialties, Columbia, hand fans; and $1,396, Missouri SignWorks, Harrisonville, banners.

Emery paid a band $1,000 to perform at Bushwhacker Days; $755, Software Center, Joplin, computer and tablet; Elisabeth Cass, design work; $675; $475, Happy Grady, Harrisonville, catering for grand opening; $200, Matthew Silber, Kansas City, graphic work; and $180, Cobra Caps, Dallas, Texas, hats.