Former Governor Charlie Crist has formally announced his support for Democrat Senator Bill Nelson. For Florida voters who were tricked into supporting the so-called “Republican” Governor who promised not to raise taxes and then did just that, this should come as no surprise.

When Crist ran for Governor, he signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge to Florida voters, promising to oppose any and all efforts to raise taxes. When he was confronted with the need to make a decision on tax hikes and spending cuts, however, Governor Crist broke his promise to Florida taxpayers and signed a budget that included $2.2 billion in new fees and taxes.

Fortunately, taxpayers held Crist responsible for breaking his Pledge and stabbing them in the back. When he rain for U.S. Senate in 2010, Florida voters said “no thanks” and picked Marco Rubio instead.

Bill Nelson is in a hotly contested race with Representative Connie Mack. Mack is a fiscal conservative who signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge as a Congressman and unlike Crist, has kept his written promise to Florida taxpayers. In his bid for US Senate, Mack has again made the written commitment to oppose higher taxes as their next U.S. Senator.

Nelson, on the other hand has unsurprisingly rejected the notion of getting Washington’s spending problem under control. He, like Crist, has supported the President’s spending spree without taking action on more than 20 job creating bills that the Republican-led House has passed. 

Crist’s announced support for Nelson comes only days after Nelson voted for the President’s tax hike bill, S. 3412. According to a report published by the accounting firm, Ernst & Young, the higher tax rates that Nelson voted for will cause the U.S. economy to lose 710,000 jobs, wages will fall by 1.8 percent, living standards will decline, and unemployment will rise by .5 percent.

For Florida businesses and taxpayers, Sen. Nelson can be thanked for a projected loss of nearly 40,000 jobs and $10.1 billion less in economic output. Crist and Nelson have more in common than they would like you to believe.

[PDF of Press Release]

Posted by Paul Blair on Friday, August 3, 2012 4:00 PM EDT

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