TBAF formed its first PAC, Take Back Action PAC-VA, to enable political efforts in Virginia. The officers of the PAC include Treasurer Patricia Colgan (Mrs. Charles J. Colgan, Jr.), the daughter-in-law of the late State Senator Charles J. Colgan, Sr. who served as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and President Pro Tempore of the State Senate. Other officers include TBAF President John Pudner, who will serve as PAC Chair, and TBAF Treasurer Anna Carter, who will serve as PAC Custodian.
Pudner and TBAF National Field Director Lars Wiechmann and John Pudner ran political campaigns for years in Virginia, helping Republicans take over the state for the first time since Reconstruction. Wiechmann spent election day in Virginia while Pudner spent that day on Fox News radio predicting Glen Youngkin’s win and then met with two cabinet members and long-time friends. Wiechmann was policy director for Republican Lt. Governor John Hager, and Pudner was Chair of the Republican Legislative Aides while running the offices of Delegates George Allen and Bill Howell. They later became Governor and Speaker, respectively.
For several years Take Back Action Fund, a 501c4, coordinated with a 501c3 Take Back Our Republic. However, TBAF announced they would no longer coordinate with that group last year due to a growing emphasis on politics and lobbying. The decision to instead coordinate with a 501c5 (PAC) is the logical next step for the group.
The PAC looks forward to engaging legislators between the 2022 and 2023 legislative sessions on election integrity measures.
For more on TBORA's efforts on election integrity, please click here.