A Joplin family is putting a lot of its cash behind Republicans Peter Kinder, who is running for reelection as lieutenant governor, and Michael Gibbons, who is running for attorney general.

Various members of the Humphreys family (who founded Tamko, a building products company, and are active in many conservative and libertarian think tanks) have given $300,000 to Kinder and another $150,000 to Gibbons.

Betcha they get their very own special Christmas cards this year!

Kinder also received a $10,000 donation from Robert Plaster’s firm, Evergreen Investments. Plaster is the Lebanon businessman who was behind the village law that was repealed last legislative session.

In total, Kinder took in $438,650 in donations over $5,000 since last Thursday; Gibbons received $217,500.

Democrat Sam Page, who is facing Kinder in the race for lieutenant governor, also got a fund-raising bump from big donors, taking in $105,000. Most of Page’s money came from medical groups. Page is a physician.