Atlanta, Georgia—Today Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) threw its support behind candidates running in contested primaries in Georgia.
State Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (SD-32) as well as Speaker Pro Temp Jan Jones and State Reps. Todd Jones (HD-25), Chuck Martin (HD-49), Lauren Daniel (HD-117), David Jenkins (HD-136) will have AFP Action’s backing in their primary races.
These lawmakers have earned AFPA’s endorsement for their commitment to protecting Georgia’s taxpayers, lowering barrier to work and employment, expanding education freedom for Georgia’s students, and supporting reforms to healthcare policy that give Georgians a personal option in health care.
AFP Action Senior Advisor Tony West issued the following statement after announcing the endorsed candidates:
“Georgians have seen amazing progress this year as the legislature embraced transformative policies to advance education freedom, increase access to healthcare, and remove barriers to employment and entrepreneurship. These champions helped get good policy to the governor’s desk, but they aren’t going to stop there, or rest on their laurels. We have more work to do to make Georgia freer and more prosperous. We need them to stay in Atlanta and keep moving freedom forward in the Peach State.”
Background
Senator Kay Kirkpatrick
With her extensive background in medicine, Senator Kirkpatrick utilized her expertise again this term to advance policies that give Georgians a personal option. Most prominently, she served on the Senate’s Certificate of Need Reform Study Committee and was a credible and stalwart voice for the need for repealing this outdated regulation.
Rep. Jan Jones
Speaker Pro Temp Jones was integral in building support in the House for transformative education policy, Senate Bill 233. Big policy change requires top tier leadership, and Jones’ leadership on this bill contributed significantly to the bill’s eventual passage.
Rep. Todd Jones
As the House sponsor of Senate Bill 233, Rep. Jones was critical in pushing forward this important piece of legislation to empower parents to have more control over their child’s education. Additionally, he was the House sponsor for Senate Bill 429, the Small Business Protection Act which would provide the legislature with more oversight on the negative impacts regulation cane have on businesses.
Rep. Chuck Martin
As a member of the House Regulated Industries Committee, Rep. Martin has developed an expertise and been a leading voice on the need for smart regulatory policy, including occupational licensure reform, like with his sponsorship of House Bill 155. Martin is also a taxpayer champion, consistently speaking for the taxpayer and being willing to question the wisdom of expensive tax expenditures that are awarded to specific businesses or industries at the expense of the average taxpayer.
Rep. Lauren Daniel
In her first term, Rep. Daniel has shown leadership on important issues. After Senate Bill 233 failed in the House in 2023, she was one of three representatives to attend a press conference encouraging the House to continue to pursue this important legislation. Additionally, Rep. Daniel has spoken out on the need for certificate of need reform, specifically for allowing birth centers to be exempted. This policy change was included in the CON reform bill, House Bill 1339.
Rep. David Jenkins
Rep. Jenkins has been outspoken in his support of empowering people and limiting government. A prime example of that was his sponsorship of House Bill 212 to lower occupational licensure barriers. While this bill didn’t pass, his efforts in 2023 set the stage for a similar bill to earn final passage in 2024, Senate Bill 354.
