American Action Network

The organization publishes television and digital ads supportive of center-right policies in targeted congressional districts. ³ According to its 2024 tax filings, former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) and former U.S. Representative Vin Weber (R-MN) sit on AAN’s board of directors. ⁴

Background

In 2009, Republican strategists and former elected officials founded the American Action Network along with its sister-organization American Action Forum. These organizations began operations in early 2010 during the Obama administration when Democrats controlled the White House and both chambers of the U.S. Congress by wide margins. The founding of the joint organizations was compared to that of the Center for American Progress, a Democratic-aligned group that was founded similarly by Democratic strategist John Podesta during the George W. Bush administration. At the time of their founding, the American Action Forum and American Action Network were described together as a “think-and-do tank” that would oppose President Barack Obama’s agenda and promote Republican congressional candidates ahead of the 2010 midterm elections. ⁵

Also like Center for American Progress, the organization was formed as two separate entities with the charitable arm American Action Forum providing policy research and analysis and the lobbying and electoral advocacy arm American Action Network focusing on running ads promoting Republican congressional candidates. ⁵

As of 2026, one of the AAN’s sister organizations, the American Action Forum, was headed by Douglas Holtz-Eakin, an economist who held several senior roles in the George W. Bush White House and served as director of the Congressional Budget Office. ⁶ The American Action Forum focuses on publishing policy opinions and research promoting center-right positions on issues including health care, education, immigration, technology, and the economy. ⁷

Another AAN sister organization is the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), a Super PAC dedicated to winning a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congressional Leadership Fund was founded in 2011 during the tenure of U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH). As of 2026, the CLF was associated with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other members of House Republican leadership. ²

Activities

The American Action Network produces ads supporting Republican-aligned positions on issues including government spending, energy, tax reform, immigration, and health care. As of 2026, the organization’s YouTube channel lists over 500 ads covering a variety of issues and promoting or criticizing the records of members of the U.S. Congress. ⁸

Rather than urging voters to vote a specific way, the organization’s ads urge voters to call members of Congress. In 2025, the ads encouraged calls to Democratic members of Congress to tell them to support the Trump administration’s efforts to lower costs for Americans and “stop the games,” ⁹ or to call Republican members to thank and tell them to “keep fighting alongside Trump.” ¹⁰

Financials

According to its 2024 tax return, the American Action Network generated $57 million in revenue from contributions and grants. ¹¹

In 2024, tax filings confirm that the AAN received contributions from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America ($4 million), ¹²  the Concord Fund (formerly the Judicial Crisis Network) ($750,000), ¹³  and the Ardleigh Impact Corp ($200,000). ¹⁴

In 2024, the AAN paid out $3.4 million in salaries and compensation. Its total expenses were $74.2 million. ¹⁵ It spent $70 million on advocacy efforts, including $36.1 million in grants and $32.2 million on nonemployee lobbying services. ¹⁶

Some of the AAN’s largest grants of 2024 were given to its sister PAC Congressional Leadership Fund ($27.7 million), the Common Sense Leadership Fund ($2.4 million), the Republican Jewish Coalition ($1.3 million), and the Republican Main Street Partnership ($1.2 million). ¹⁷

Leadership

As of 2026, Chris Winkelman was president of the American Action Network and the Congressional Leadership Fund. Previously, Winkelman was the executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee and a partner with the Holtzman Vogel law firm. ¹⁸

Dan Conston was the president of AAN until December 15, 2024. At that time, his annual salary was more than $1.1 million. ⁴ As of 2026, Conston was the CEO of the public affairs firm Watchtower Strategy. ¹⁹