21 Facts About Foster Friess

Foster Stephen Friess was an American investment manager and prominent donor to the Republican Party and to Christian right causes.

Foster Friess unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor of Wyoming in the 2018 election, losing in the primary to State Treasurer Mark Gordon.

Foster Friess grew up on a farm, where his father was a cattle rancher.

Foster Friess often joked about his wealth in public appearances, while at the same time drawing attention to his financial status.

Foster Friess embraced the Western image as part of moving to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1992.

Foster Friess said he made the move because Wyoming's lack of an income tax helped him avoid "increasingly onerous" taxes in Pennsylvania.

Progressive website ThinkProgress reported Foster Friess was funding Islamophobic campaigns, while he made statements for moderate gay rights, citing them as an issue of religious liberty.

In 2001, Foster Friess Associates partnered with Affiliated Managers Group, an asset-management firm, to facilitate succession planning and to spread ownership among its partners.

Foster Friess was a longtime Republican Party mega-donor, giving millions of dollars to Republican and conservative causes, especially on the Christian right.

Foster Friess donated $250,000 to Rick Santorum's re-election campaign in 2006, and at least that amount to the Republican Governors' Association.

Foster Friess largely funded Santorum's unsuccessful campaign for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Foster Friess was instrumental in keeping Santorum's flagging campaign alive by financing a super PAC, the Red, White and Blue Fund, which ran television advertisements on behalf of Santorum, who was unable to run a television campaign with his own funds.

Foster Friess donated $100,000 to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to help defeat the Democrats' recall effort in 2011.

Foster Friess was an advisor to Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization to which he donated seed money.

In October 2017, Foster Friess said he was exploring a possible candidacy for the Senate challenging Wyoming Senator John Barrasso for the Republican nomination, at the request of Steve Bannon.

Foster Friess was defeated in the primary, coming in second to State Treasurer Mark Gordon by 38,951 votes to 29,842.

Foster Friess supported Community Options, a national nonprofit that develops housing and employment for people with disabilities.

Foster Friess supported a YMCA development in Maryvale, Arizona, along with several local mentoring and ministry programs.

Foster Friess gained fame when news of his 70th birthday party spread.

Foster Friess was diagnosed with myelodysplasia, a bone marrow cancer, in September 2020.

Foster Friess died on May 27,2021, in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 81.