Humphreys contributes maximum $2,600 to Neosho Mayor's House campaign, Democrat Thomas has solid fundraising quarter

The big money is behind Neosho Mayor Ben Baker in his bid for the 160th District state representative seat currently held by term-limited Bill Reiboldt, R-Seneca.

Campaign disclosure reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission show Baker received $11,467.55 during the past quarter with the biggest contributions, for the maximum $2,600, coming from Joplin businessman David Humphreys and Tom Lake, also of Joplin.

Humphreys was not the only well known Joplin resident to put money into the Baker campaign. Baker also received $100 from former Joplin mayor and city councilman Mike Woolston.

One thousand dollar contributions were received from Darrell Gruver, Seneca, Shane Lake, Neosho, and Baker himself.

Inexplicably, Baker also lists a $100 contribution from the City of Diamond.

The biggest moneymaking event for the Neosho mayor, who was in the news earlier this year for his involvement in a youth baseball fund raiser that involved the children selling tickets for an AR-15 raffle, was what was described as a "Second Amendment Celebration."

The event included barbecue, a pie auction, contests, bounce houses and food at Black Rain Ordnance, the same Neosho business which supplied the AR-15 for the youth baseball fundraiser.

The event raised $1,581.50, according to the report.

Baker's primary opponents, Raleigh Drue Ritter, Seneca, and David Osborn, Neosho, received $50 and $836.87 during the past three months, according to their disclosure reports. Ritter, who had raised money for his campaign earlier, spent $11,302.33 and still had $5,728.67 in his campaign account at the end of the reporting period. Osborn had not done any earlier fundraising. He spent $689.86 and still had $147.01.

The winner of the primary will face Democrat Angela Thomas, Neosho, who had a strong quarter, recording $8,285 in contributions, topped by $2,500 from Herb Schade, Neosho. She spent $6,850.12, leaving her with $2,949.88.