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Sinquefield Hosting Election-Night Event For Blunt

Rex Sinquefield
Courtesy of Rex Sinquefield's website

Shortly before the polls close on Nov. 4,  wealthy financier Rex Sinquefield and his wife, Jeanne, will already have moved on to the 2016 elections.

The couple is hosting an early-evening fundraiser – billed as an “Election Night Reception”  -- on Nov. 4 at their St. Louis home.  The reception is scheduled to end when polls close at 7 p.m.

The beneficiary is U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. The senator is expected to seek re-election in 2016.

All of the proceeds for the event are to go to Blunt’s campaign coffers. Tickets range from $1,000 a person to as much as $10,400 a couple.

Sinquefield is the state's top political donor and his early support for Blunt is likely to discourage any primary opposition. But since federal donation limits remain in place, the financier is limited as to how much he can personally give to Blunt.

Federal campaign donation limits for individuals are $2,600 per candidate per election. Which means a donor could give $5,200 to Blunt, split between the primary and general elections. Couples could give double that amount – which is why the top ticket for the reception is $10,400.

Political action committees can give $5,000 per election to a candidate.  Other campaign groups, often dubbed SuperPACs, can spend their money on independent ad campaigns that cannot be coordinated with the candidate.

Jo Mannies is a freelance journalist and former political reporter at St. Louis Public Radio.