This Situation Demands a Bold Response
Tim Wildmon, President, AFA and AFA Action
In 1977, my father, Don Wildmon, founded American Family Association (AFA). Since then, AFA has served as a firewall between biblical values and those who seek to destroy America and the principles on which she was founded. This firewall was established and is reinforced by the mission of AFA, which is to inform, equip, and activate individuals and families to transform American culture and to give aid to the church, here and abroad, in its calling to fulfill the Great Commission.
Roughly a decade ago, a fellow Christian by the name of Richard Ford contacted my father about the possibility of creating and developing an online voter guide for Christians to use at the ballot box.
Following my father’s agreement to partner with Richard, AFA Action (the governmental affairs affiliate of American Family Association) began partnering with iVoterGuide to promote this vital tool to America’s electorate. In fact, promoting iVoterGuide has been the primary focus of AFA Action each election cycle.
iVoterGuide is known today for its accuracy and integrity in researching and evaluating candidates on the ballot. It impacts elections by equipping Christians to vote wisely and to be good stewards of their citizenship. The core issues that drive the research and scoring of candidates are right to life, religious liberty, national defense, health care, the economy, and border security.
It is evident that America is at a critical juncture in her history, and the assault on biblical values is evermore increasing. This situation demands a bold response. A response that will further equip individuals with the tools necessary to transform American culture.
The executive leadership and boards of directors for iVoterGuide and AFA Action are convicted that a deeper partnership is necessary between the two organizations. I am honored to announce that AFA Action is acquiring iVoterGuide. This acquisition will allow AFA Action to rapidly expand the reach of iVoterGuide while simultaneously maintaining its quality and focus.
In 2020 alone, iVoterGuide covered federal elections in all 50 states as well as statewide and legislative races in 21 states, researched over 8,000 candidates, and educated over 3.5 million voters across the country.
With AFA Action acquiring iVoterGuide, coverage of statewide and legislative races will increase from 21 to 37 states by the 2022 midterm elections. Also, research will increase from 8,000 to over 12,000 candidates while aiming to grow the base of educated voters from 3.5 million to over 5 million.
As the only conservative voter guide available nationwide during the upcoming Republican Party primaries, the partnership of AFA Action and iVoterGuide can magnify the guide’s impact on the Republicans that move on to the general election. Since 80% of legislators are chosen in a party primary, this partnership has the potential to impact even the federal Democratic Party primaries at some future time.
Additionally, AFA Action envisions iVoterGuide adding the remaining 13 statewide and legislative races in time for the 2024 presidential primary and general election. This will provide iVoterGuide comprehensive election coverage of all 50 federal, statewide, and state legislative races, and the estimated base of educated voters will increase to 7 million voters.
Richard Ford, founder of iVoterGuide and dear friend to AFA, will continue to serve on the board of AFA Action and will continue to have a key role in the growth of iVoterGuide. We will be adding one additional member to the AFA Action Board to represent the interests of iVoterGuide. In order to maintain the integrity, fairness, and accuracy of iVoterGuide’s research, the current president of iVoterGuide, Debbie Wuthnow, will continue to lead the iVoterGuide operation and become a vice president of AFA Action. iVoterGuide will become a project of AFA Action, and the existing iVoterGuide staff and procedures will remain unchanged. Since independence is important to the relationship with current and prospective iVoterGuide partners, the iVoterGuide coalition partner model will remain unchanged.
By combining the growth of our broad grassroots funding model with iVoterGuide’s outreach to more key pro-family conservative donors, we anticipate that we can significantly increase the funding for the expansion of coverage and promotion to conservative voters. We also anticipate this partnership to make a significant impact on the control of federal and state legislative chambers as well as executive and judicial races.
This is an exciting time for our ministry here at American Family Association and AFA Action, and we rejoice that God has fostered this partnership and guided us in this direction.
Acquisition Endorsements
Don Wildmon and Richard Ford have been leaders in the conservative movement for decades. To have the two entities they founded, AFA Action & iVoterGuide combine forces is a game changer. The fight to preserve liberty in America is at a critical juncture and Christians must be united. AFA Action acquiring iVoterGuide is the kind of unity needed at this time in history!
- Kelly Shackelford, President & CEO, First Liberty Institute
If “We the people” who are Christians will be better stewards of their God ordained (Romans 13) authority, our religious liberty will be in less peril. The merger of American Family Association Action and iVoterGuide will help Christians vote wisely especially on elections like state legislators, judges and school boards.
- Dr. Robert Jeffress, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Dallas
iVoterGuide is a division of American Family Association Action. AFA Action is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical, family values in society and government by educating and influencing public policy. AFA Action is also the Governmental Affairs Affiliate of American Family Association (AFA).
