AUSTIN, TX – Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) today announced its support for two candidates running for election and re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives – Rep. Van Taylor (TX-03) and Wesley Hunt (TX-38). These candidates earned the support of AFP Action for their commitment to championing principled policy solutions that put people over politics to help create a freer and stronger nation.

AFP Action will leverage a wide range of tactics, including its signature grassroots outreach and mobilization, to urge voters to support these candidates.

AFP Action Senior Advisor Genevieve Collins issued the following statement:

“Americans are calling out for leaders who will pave a better path forward and get their lives back to normal. AFP Action is confident in Rep. Van Taylor and Wesley Hunt’s ability to step up to the plate and put partisan politics aside to lead in the best interest of Texas families.

“Their commitment to fiscal responsibility, reducing excessive federal overreach, fulfilling our promise to veterans, and ensuring every American can access quality and affordable health care will help make it easier for our country to recover. Our activists are excited to get out in their communities and talk with voters to get these candidates re-elected and elected to office.”

Background:

REPRESENTATIVE VAN TAYLOR (TX-03)

In Washington, Representative Van Taylor leads on fiscal responsibility and has been an outspoken advocate for more transparency in government spending. During his time in Congress, Taylor cosponsored legislation to establish spending limits as a part of the “Maximizing America’s Prosperity Act of 2021,” as well as improved transparency through his support of the “Cost Estimates Improvement Act.” In addition, he spent his first term opposing legislation that would provide special interest tax breaks and subsidies that disproportionately benefit the wealthy and ensure working families pay more to get less.

Van Taylor believes in more transparency and fairness in our tax code. He is committed to helping individuals and families keep more of their hard-earned paychecks. During his second term, Taylor was a lead sponsor for the Truth in Taxation Act that would require specific descriptions of how pending legislation would affect federal taxes. He was also the lead sponsor of similar legislation passed during his time in the Texas Senate. This year, Taylor cosponsored the “Death Tax Repeal Act,” which would free families from costs associated with passing their businesses and farms down to the next generation. Additionally, he fought to retain equality and fairness in the tax code by opposing changes enacted through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Van Taylor has led on criminal justice reform and believes in improving the system to be smarter on crime and softer on taxpayers. In Washington, Taylor has cosponsored several key legislative policies including increasing attorney-client communications privileges, sentencing reform, and eliminating red tape for certain treatments related to substance abuse.

As a decorated Marine, Representative Van Taylor knows the importance of taking care of veterans when they return home. In 2021, Taylor introduced legislation that would protect Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families from being targeted by fraud and other predatory schemes.  In 2020, Taylor cosponsored legislation that would increase treatment options for veterans suffering from PTSD. In addition, Taylor has consistently advocated for increasing capacity at VA facilities where veterans are forced to endure long wait times to receive care.

Representative Van Taylor is committed to bridging divides. During his time in Congress, Taylor has been praised for his bipartisan solutions and working across the aisle to get things done. Described as “Mr. Bipartisan,” Taylor makes a point to dedicate his time on the U.S. House floor split evenly between both Democrats and Republicans. Additionally, he carries a card in his coat pocket that contains the names of authors of legislation he has cosponsored in order to build relationships, spark conversations, and fix the “distrust that exists in Washington.”

 

WESLEY HUNT (TX-38) 

Wesley Hunt is committed to strengthening the labor market and will enact policies that remove needless red-tape and regulations hurting Texas small businesses. Hunt understands the importance of having a strong economy that is able to provide jobs for all people looking for work. In Washington, Hunt says he will champion free market solutions and push for deregulation that gets the federal government out of the way and unlocks the limitless potential of the American people. He also promises to fight against policies like the “Green New Deal” that would be a $16 trillion tax on individuals and eliminate thousands of jobs.

Wesley Hunt will lead on strong fiscal policies that help Americans keep more of their hard-earned paychecks and reduce government waste. Hunt is committed to fighting against wasteful and inefficient federal spending and cut taxes. He understands the importance of spending within our means and that Americans are overtaxed. He is a strong proponent of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and is committed “to make tax cuts permanent and give relief to middle class families.” In Congress, Hunt promises to stand up against massive Congressional spending sprees that drive up costs and leave future generations with crippling levels of debt. Hunt is opposed to President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and has repeatedly stressed the need for Congress to adopt a balanced budget.

Wesley Hunt is committed to making health care more affordable for all Americans by allowing competition to boost quality and drive down prices. Hunt believes that a government takeover of health care will make care worse and is an advocate for boosting flexibility in the current insurance industry. He supports allowing companies to reach customers across state lines to better enable individuals to find a health plan that best suits their personal needs.

DENVER – Today, Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) announced its endorsement of Barbara Kirkmeyer for Colorado’s 8^th Congressional District. If elected, Kirkmeyer will put people over politics to drive lasting change from the bottom-up to ensure that each person is empowered to achieve their version of the American Dream. AFP Action will utilize a variety of highly targeted tactics, including grassroots engagement, digital advertisements, and direct mail to support her campaign.

 

AFP Action Senior Advisor Jesse Mallory issued the following statement:

“Barbara Kirkmeyer’s track record speaks for itself. She’s successfully advocated for stronger fiscal responsibility and smarter spending in Colorado. Now more than ever, these leadership skills are needed in Washington to get our economy back on track and to allow hardworking taxpayers to keep more of what they earn to invest in their families’ futures as we navigate these difficult times. We’re eager to place the full weight of our grassroots behind Barbara Kirkmeyer’s to ensure this principled leader gets elected.”

 

Background:

Colorado State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer is a tireless advocate for responsible fiscal policies and understands the importance of transparency in our tax code. As a “fiscal hawk,” State Senator Kirkmeyer is focused on limiting the size, scope, and cost of government. She is committed to ensuring that Colorado’s budget lives within its means and understands the greatest threat to our future is an ever-rising debt. In her campaign for Senate District 23 last year, she called attention to massive increases in Colorado’s budget and stressed the importance of “tightening our belt and prioritizing spending.” As Weld County commissioner, Kirkmeyer managed a balanced budget that over a ten-year period returned more than $278 million to county taxpayers. She is committed to not supporting tax hikes, or any gimmicks disguised as a tax hike, and this year opposed an increase in fees related to the state’s fuel tax.

Barbara Kirkmeyer fought to rein in onerous and job-killing regulations that hurt our economy, and has advocated for strong policies that empower our energy sector. State Senator Kirkmeyer understands the importance of having a “stable, fair, predictable regulatory environment” and “will work to repeal laws and regulations that hurt our economy.” As State Senator, she fought to bring more flexibility to retailers adapting during the ongoing pandemic and cosponsored legislation to create a statewide search interface for all Colorado-agency related rule-making. As commissioner, she was strongly opposed to SB 181 that gave local governments more power to impose regulations on and barriers to energy production. In addition, Kirkmeyer understands Colorado’s oil and gas industry is “an economic driver… generating good jobs and tax revenues for our schools.”

Barbara Kirkmeyer understands the importance of a patient-driven health care market focusing on quality and affordable care. She is committed to improving the nation’s health care system and has fought tirelessly against a government takeover of our insurance markets. As state senator, Kirkmeyer sponsored innovative legislation to increase accountability for Colorado’s pharmacy benefit managers leading to an estimated $6.7 million – $8.9 million in savings on annual prescription costs. In addition, she fought against legislation that would establish drug price controls that could lead to drug shortages, government rationing, and less cures for patients. This year, she opposed a bill establishing a public health insurance in Colorado limiting residents’ ability to find a plan that best fits their individual needs.

Barbara Kirkmeyer has been a vocal advocate for empowering families and expanding education opportunities for Coloradan students. State Senator Kirkmeyer believes in an education system that maximizes options and flexibility for students, “whether that’s a public school, charter school, private school, trade/vocational school, or any other learning environment parents choose for their kids.” She acknowledges that bureaucracy and administrative costs are growing exponentially and is negatively impacting students.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) today announced its endorsement of two candidates, Iowa state Sen. Zach Nunn (IA-03) and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), vying for the U.S. House of Representatives. These candidates have shown active leadership on key issues and if elected and re-elected, will work to build broad-based policy coalitions to break barriers standing in the way of individual prosperity.

AFP Action will use a range of tactics, including its signature grassroots outreach and mobilization, to urge voters to support these candidates’ principled policy solutions to help tackle our nation’s greatest challenges.

AFP Action Senior Advisor Drew Klein said this on Rep. Miller-Meeks:

“Since assuming office in 2021, Representative Miller-Meeks has distinguished herself as a principled leader who puts people over politics. Today, it is even more essential that we have a leader in Washington who will stand up for Iowa families and lead the way toward more economic opportunity, making it easier for businesses to thrive and create jobs. Our activists are excited to hit the ground running to help re-elect Rep. Miller-Meeks to Iowa’s first Congressional district.”

AFP Action Senior Advisor Drew Klein said this on state Sen. Nunn:

“State Senator Nunn is an experienced lawmaker who has earned AFP Action’s support for his dedication to getting Iowa’s economy back on track, reducing regulatory barriers standing in the way of businesses and individuals growing, and reforming our criminal justice system. Sen. Nunn is the leader we need in Washington, and we couldn’t be more excited to throw our full support behind an exceptional candidate.”

Background:

Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01)

Representative Miller-Meeks is committed to strengthening our labor market and growing our economy. She has tirelessly fought for policies that remove needless, job-killing, red-tape and regulations hurting Iowa families and small businesses. In Congress, Miller-Meeks opposed legislation that would have made harmful changes to labor laws and undermine the rights of employees. The legislation would also have overturned state right-to-work laws that protect workers freedom of choice. At the federal level, she is currently a cosponsor of the National Right-to-Work Act. As a state senator, Miller-Meeks fought to install additional protections against the overregulation of occupations, as well as brought more flexibility to retailers adapting during the ongoing pandemic.

 

Representative Miller-Meeks has a passion for improving the lives of our veterans. In Congress, Rep. Miller-Meeks supported the Veterans’ True Choice Act of 2021, which expands health care access and empowers service-connected veterans to make decisions that best meet their individual health care needs. In addition, she has advocated for increased accountability and removing bureaucracy at the Department of Veterans Affairs following the 2014 scandal that prevented veterans from getting the quality of care they deserved.

 

Representative Miller-Meeks believes in a criminal justice system that should work for all Iowans, and has advocated for smart on crime, soft on taxpayers policies. Miller-Meeks is a vocal and active supporter of restoring the voting rights of former prisoners following the completion of their sentences. As state senator, she supported expanding employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals through expungement and supported removing burdensome occupation licensing rules that would hinder their reintegration into society. In Congress, Miller-Meeks supported legislation to prohibit the Department of Justice from monitoring certain attorney-client privileged communication.

 

State Senator Zach Nunn (IA-03)

State Senator Zach Nunn championed smart fiscal policies that lowered taxes for Iowa families and businesses. Zach Nunn is committed to and understands the importance of providing tax relief for Iowa families and small businesses. As state senator, Nunn supported Senate File 634 in 2019, which would require a super majority vote to raise property taxes by more than 2 percent. In 2015, he fought for Iowans to keep more of their hard earned paychecks by opposing a roughly 50 percent increase to the state’s gasoline tax.

 

Zach Nunn eliminated wasteful government spending, called for a balanced state budget, and increased transparency in how Iowans tax dollars are spent. State Senator Nunn has fought to reduce wasteful spending in Iowa’s state budget. In 2018, he supported legislation instituting smart spending cuts to fix Iowa’s revenue shortfall and maintain a balanced budget. In 2017, he called for an ongoing review system to determine if executive branch projects are being run efficiently and effectively. In 2015, Nunn voted to install a zero-based budgeting system to bring more accountability to the state budget.

 

Zach Nunn has fought to reform Iowa’s overburdensome criminal justice system and aid rehabilitated former prisoners in their transition back into society. As state senator, Nunn fought to eliminate unnecessary occupational licensing restrictions and barriers that prevented people with certain non-violent convictions from fully reentering society and improving the lives of their families and communities. As a member of the IA House of Representatives, Nunn was the primary sponsor for legislation that reduced mandatory minimums for non-violent drug related crimes, as well as supported civil asset forfeiture reform that set limits on the value of property law enforcement would be able to seize prior to court proceedings.

 

Zach Nunn fought to reduce burdensome rules and regulations on businesses to better empower workers. Throughout his time as state senator, Nunn voted for legislation that would allow certain businesses to operate in remote locations and supported allowing reciprocity for individuals with out-of-state licenses while also waiving initial fees for those earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.