James Lankford (R-Okla.) has taken the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in the contest for Oklahoma’s 5^th Congressional district promising to oppose harmful tax increases.

Lankford is running in the Republican primary to take place on July 27^th to be the nominee in the race for the U.S. House.  He is running to fill the seat left vacant by two-term Republican and Pledge signer Mary Fallin, who is running for governor. In this dark red district, the GOP nominee should easily take the seat. Cook rates it as a “Solid R” and gives it a PVI of R+13. Fallin won solidly in 2008 with 66% of the vote.

Lankford joins Kevin Calvey (R-Okla.) and Mike Thompson (R-Okla.) in signing the Pledge.

See the official signing press release below:

James Lankford (R-Okla.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge

Congressional candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  James Lankford, a Republican running in Oklahoma’s 5^th Congressional district, recently signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR). The Pledge commits signers to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

ATR has offered the Pledge to all candidates for federal office since 1987. To date, 34 U.S. senators and 172 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed the Pledge. Additionally, seven Governors and over 1,100 state legislators have signed the Pledge.

“After the passage of the so-called ‘Stimulus Package,’ better known as the Pelosi-Obama-Reid Spending Give-Away, Americans are desperately searching for candidates and politicians that will protect their livelihoods and put their wallets ahead of the federal government’s coffers,”said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.

“By signing the Pledge, James Lankford demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers in Oklahoma’s 5^th district.”

“I challenge all candidates for federal office to make the same commitment to taxpayers by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today,” Norquist continued.

Copies of the Pledge are available at www.atr.org or by calling (202) 785-0266.

Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases.  For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org

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