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WFW AF made significant investments in support of eight winning candidates in competitive primaries this cycle, including: Sen. Darline Graham (SC-SEN), Laurie Buckhout (NC-01), Sydney Gruters (FL-16), Jenny Costa Honeycutt (SC-01), Jessica Steinmann (TX-08), Alex Mealer (TX-09), Rep. Celeste Maloy (UT-03) and Amanda McKinney (WA-04). In addition, the organization has already distributed resources to several other U.S. House and Senate candidates who have competitive races this November.
“We set out this cycle to identify and invest early in the most qualified conservative with the ability to win, and an eight-for-nine primary record shows that strategy is working,” said WFW AF President Danielle Barrow. “These are exactly the kind of leaders WFW AF was built to support, and now we’re bringing that same focus and firepower to the battlegrounds that will determine control of Congress this November.”
“This is a record we are proud to put our name on,” said WFW AF Executive Director Meredith Allen Dellinger. “In race after race this cycle, our investments in TV, digital, mail, modeling, and voter contact delivered real results at the ballot box. Now we turn our focus to the fall where WFW AF is preparing significant investments to help our candidates win in November and strengthen our Republican majorities.”
Here are a few highlights from the 2026 Primary Season:
Jenny Costa Honeycutt (SC-01)
Honeycutt faced a crowded ten-candidate primary field in a district where uncertain redistricting all but guaranteed a runoff. WFW AF was the first major outside group in the race, deploying messaging research to ensure proper contrast with her opponents, targeted digital and cable advertising to build name ID, and GOTV texting to mobilize supporters through the runoff sprint. In addition to significant hard-dollar support, WFW AF’s primary investment included nearly $500,000 in independent spending on digital, cable, and texting. Honeycutt placed first in the primary and won the runoff with 54%. She now faces a well-funded Democratic opponent in a seat Democrats’ House Majority PAC has already reserved $2 million to flip.
Jessica Steinmann (TX-08)
Steinmann entered a competitive primary in the northern Houston exurbs against a self-funder in an environment where the GOP primary for U.S. Senate was driving up costs and overcrowding the Houston DMA. The WFW AF entities conducted an early modeling project in December 2025 to identify persuadable audiences, launched a positive digital and CTV campaign with heavy emphasis on YouTube to build Steinmann’s image before her opponent could, and remained the largest outside group on digital throughout the race. The strategy worked: Steinmann maintained a lead on the initial ballot, secured President Trump’s endorsement, saw her main opponent exit the race, and won outright on primary night with 68% — clearing the 50% threshold to avoid a runoff entirely. WFW AF’s investment included over $60,000 in hard dollars raised and over $245,000 in independent spending on digital, mail, and modeling.
Alex Mealer (TX-09)
Mealer entered a high-profile contest against Texas Freedom Caucus Chairman Briscoe Cain in a newly drawn seat in the eastern Houston suburbs. WFW AF was among the first outside groups to engage, conducting a December modeling project to ensure advertising reached the right audiences and partnering with allied groups to test and refine Mealer’smessage. Despite a nine-candidate field and late outside spending against her, Mealeremerged from the primary in first place and won the subsequent runoff. WFW AF’s total investment included $93,000 in hard dollars raised and nearly $360,000 in independent spending on digital, mail, phones, texting, and modeling.
With primaries complete, WFW AF is now focused on House and Senate races that will be competitive through the fall, with significant investments planned to protect vulnerable incumbents, flip Democrat-held seats, and strengthen our Republican majorities.
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