CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Republican political donor, investor and philanthropist Foster Friess has died. He was 81. Friess was a multimillionaire who lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and a GOP kingmaker who donated lavishly to candidates and charitable causes over four decades. Federal campaign finance records show Friess directly gave almost $7 million to hundreds of candidates. He was perhaps best known for supporting former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s presidential run in 2012. Friess gave over $500 million to charitable causes over his lifetime. Diagnosed in September with a bone-marrow disease, Friess died surrounded by family in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Thursday.
