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Certificate of Need Reform Study Committee and was a credible and stalwart voice for the need for repealing this outdated regulation.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.

Grassroots Groups Resolves to Continue Support through May Runoff

Atlanta, Georgia—Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) today congratulated Sean Knox for a strong finish in his special election race.

Knox will go on to a runoff against Carmen Rice on May 7.

AFP Action Senior Advisor Tony West issued the following statement after the returns were counted:

“AFP Action congratulates Sean Knox on his narrow victory to represent Georgia’s 139^th state house district. As the runoff approaches, AFP Action remains committed to sending Knox to Atlanta to champion educational freedom, economic opportunity, and health care reforms that will improve life for Georgians across the Peach State. Between now and the runoff, AFP Action will continue to knock doors and make calls to push Knox across the finish line.”

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SPRINGFIELD, IL – Tonight, Chris Balkema (SD-53) and Regan Deering (HD-88), Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) endorsed candidates, won their respective Republican nominations to represent Illinois in the state’s General Assembly.

Upon the race calls for Balkema and Deering, AFP Action Senior Advisor Jason Heffley released the following statement:

“A pillar of Grundy County, Chris Balkema deeply understands the struggles facing Illinois families and the need for a thriving, bottom-up economy. Balkema has the experience to enact real reform in Springfield and we congratulate him on his primary victory.

“Regan Deering has a proven track record of serving her community and fighting to create a more prosperous Illinois. Deering’s experience and leadership are needed in the legislature to check the inflationary policies coming out of Springfield and we congratulate her on tonight’s victory.”

BACKGROUND:

AFP Action has acquired the data from outreach to more than 8 million people to bring new voters into the primary process and ensure we elect better candidates. Those insights will direct the activities of the largest grassroots operation in the country that is ready to knock on doors to bring voters to the polls and win support for Balkema and Deering. AFP Action invests extensively in mail, digital, and connected-television campaigns to lay the foundation for the one-on-one conversations by grassroots advocates that are often the difference-maker in any close race. In 2022, AFP and AFP Action engaged in 457 races, knocking on more than 7 million doors, delivering over 100 million pieces of mail, and reaching millions more voters through phone and email.

Atlanta, Georgia—Americans for Prosperity Action today announced its backing of Sean Knox in the special election to replace the late Representative Richard Smith in Georgia’s 139^th House District.

The local businessman and first-time candidate earned AFP Action’s support for education freedom, regulatory reform, and advancing health care policies that create a personal option for Georgians.

After announcing the endorsement, AFP Action Senior Advisor Tony West gave the following statement:

“AFP Action is excited to endorse Sean Knox in this special election. Georgians are ready for the General Assembly to adopt transformative policy. By ensuring that Sean Knox makes it across the finish line next month, Georgians will be that much closer to securing education freedom, economic opportunity, and health care reforms that will make the Peach State a freer and more affordable place to live, work, and raise a family.”

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SPRINGFIELD, IL —Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) today endorsed Chris Balkema and Regan Deering in their bids for the Illinois State Senate and State House of Representatives. Balkema is in Illinois’ 53rd Senate District, and Deering is in Illinois’ 88th House District.

AFP Action announced last year the organization would be engaging earlier and in more primaries than ever before. Today’s endorsements put that promise into action. 

AFP Action Senior Advisor Jason Heffley released the following statement:

“Chris Balkema has spent the past 13 years on the Grundy County Board, where he worked to relieve the impacts of rising inflation and high living costs facing Illinois families. A former businessman, Chris deeply understands the importance of a thriving, bottom-up economy – and has the experience to enact real reform in Springfield.

“Regan Deering has a proven track record of serving her and fighting to create a more prosperous state. Illinoisans are in some of the toughest economic times since the 2008 recession – and Deering has vowed to be an advocate in the legislature to reign in Springfield’s reckless spending.

“AFP Action’s strong grassroots organization throughout the state will be focused on making Chris Balkema and Regan Deering the Land of Lincoln’s newest legislators come November.”