Tim Dunn and the Wilks brothers (Farris and Dan) are not household names for most Texans — but their fingerprints are everywhere in state politics. With oil and gas fortunes, they have quietly assembled one of the most powerful political machines in America, dedicated not just to conservative policy, but to a theological vision: Christian dominion over government and culture.

Through family foundations, PACs, and think tanks, they have poured millions into reshaping the political landscape:

• Think tanks and policy shops like the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), where their money backs efforts to rewrite civics and history curricula in Texas classrooms.

• Media outlets such as the Daily Wire, into which Wilks-linked funds have flowed, amplifying culture-war messaging nationwide. Dunn’s own platforms, including SelfGovern and Texas Scorecard, extend their influence into grassroots news feeds.

• Curriculum battles, where they’ve pushed for “patriotism” strands in Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and supported contracts for figures like David Barton and Rick Green to infuse education with a Christian nationalist lens.

• PACs and political donations, using their wealth to tilt Republican primaries, fund ideologically aligned candidates, and pressure legislators to conform.

This network is not merely political. Its rhetoric and goals align directly with the Seven Mountain Mandate (7MM), a doctrine of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) that calls for Christians to seize control of government, education, media, business, arts, family, and religion itself.

The danger is plain: when two billionaires can bankroll a theology of domination and inject it into schools, legislatures, and media, liberty is at risk. As James Madison warned in 1785:

“It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties.”

(Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments)

Justice Neil Gorsuch echoes Madison’s warning in our own time:

“The law does perhaps its most important work in protecting unpopular religious beliefs, vindicating this nation’s long-held aspiration to serve as a refuge of religious tolerance.”

(Hobby Lobby, concurrence)

The Constitution protects the right of Dunn, Wilks, or any citizen to believe as they wish. What it forbids is using government to impose that belief on everyone else.

That is why this fight matters. It is not about one set of wealthy men; it is about defending the Founders’ vision of neutral government, free conscience, and equal liberty. Dunn and Wilks provide the clearest example of what happens when ideology and wealth converge to challenge that vision.

For those who want the full documentation of their activities and networks, download the research dossier here: [Dunn & Wilks Dossier PDF]

Where Dunn and Wilks seek to use religion to capture government, socialism seeks to do the same with economics — concentrating power in the state and eroding liberty under the banner of equality.