We recently received an email from a reader inquiring about a political action committee that has been getting involved in the House District 86 primary:

I keep seeing ads from a group called the AFC Victory Fund about Jamie Haynes. What is the AFC Victory Fund and who’s behind it?
- Jason F. from Amarillo

Thank you for your question, Jason. We did some looking into the AFC Victory Fund, and here’s what we found out.

What is the AFC Victory Fund?

According to a 2024 press release, the AFC Victory Fund is a project of the American Federation for Children. The organization was launched as a political initiative to support “school choice champions” and oppose candidates who are against school choice. In 2024, the organization planned to spend at least $10 million in state legislative races nationwide.

The Texas arm of the organization, simply called the AFC Victory Fund, filed its first campaign finance report in 2023. The campaign finance reports list an address in Mountain Brook, Alabama, for the organization.

The American Federation for Children, itself, is an organization that advocates for school choice nationwide. According to their website, the organization seeks to “empower families, especially lower-income families, with the freedom to choose the best K-12 education for their children.”

Who’s funding the AFC Victory Fund?

The organization files on a monthly filing schedule with the Texas Ethics Commission. The organization frequently reports in-kind contributions from the American Federation for Children. Most of its recent monetary donations have come in large sums from a handful of donors, including $75,000 from Alabama investor Frank Hanna III and $250,000 from California businessman Bill Oberndorf.

What is the AFC Victory Fund doing in our local elections?

AFC Victory Fund has been spending to oppose Jamie Haynes’ campaign in the Republican primary for House District 86. The advertising has come in the form of both a mailer and social media advertisements.

Is the AFC Victory Fund involved in any other elections this year?

Yes, the AFC Victory Fund is currently running social media advertisements opposing a handful of candidates and supporting others. The candidates the group is supporting include State Reps. Angelia Orr, Candy Noble, and Stan Kitzman. The group is opposing candidates including Haynes, Desi Martinez, and Nathan Watkins.

Martinez is challenging State Rep. John Lujan in House District 118 in the San Antonio area, while Watkins is challenging State Rep. Terri Leo Wilson in House District 23 in the Galveston area.