Ed Martin has become the first candidate in the race for Missouri’s newly redrawn 2^nd Congressional seat to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Martin, former Chief of Staff to Gov. Blunt, ran in 2010 for Missouri’s 3^rd congressional seat against Democrat Russ Carnahan. Carnahan is now considering a run out of the 2^nd district due to the elimination of his own district. The MO-02 seat’s current holder, Republican Todd Akin, is announcing a run for U.S. Senate, leaving the seat open in 2012.

Missouri’s 2^nd congressional district covers the northern suburbs of St. Louis. It is projected to remain Republican, although it will likely become more challenging due to territory ceded to the district by Carnahan’s MO-03. Akin won the district in 2010 with 68% of the vote and in 2008 with 62%.

By signing the Pledge, Martin commits to the taxpayers of Missouri that he will “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.”

Upon Martin signing the Pledge, ATR’s President Grover Norquist had this to say:

I want to congratulate Ed Martin for taking the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The American people clearly showed their displeasure last November with the tax-and-spend policies coming from Washington. They want real solutions that create jobs, cut government spending, and get the economy going again.

Missouri Congressional Candidate Ed Martin signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge

WASHINGTON, DC— Ed Martin has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in his race for Missouri’s 2^nd Congressional seat. The Pledge, sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), 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, 41 U.S. Senators and 235 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed the Pledge. Additionally, thirteen governors and over 1,200 state legislators have signed the Pledge.

“I want to congratulate Ed Martin for taking the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The American people clearly showed their displeasure in November with the tax-and-spend policies coming from Washington. They want real solutions that create jobs, cut government spending and get the economy going again,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.

“By signing the Pledge, Martin demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers of Missouri.”

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

[PDF of Press Release]