State Representative Rick Berg recently signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Representative Berg is running for the sole congressional seat in the state of North Dakota, and is the first signer in the race.

Berg will be competing in the GOP Primary, being held in June, for the opportunity to face Democratic Incumbent Earl Pomeroy. Pomeroy has been in Congress since the early 90’s, but his record on some of the more recent pieces of legislation are important due to their negative impact on the taxpayer in North Dakota. In early 2009 Pomeroy voted for the $800 Billion “Stimulus” bill, which has failed by even the Administration’s standards; and in late 2009, Pomeroy voted for the House Health Care bill that contained numerous tax hikes on middle class families in North Dakota and all over the country. The Cook Political Report gives the district a PVI of R+10, pretty strong considering that Pomeroy has held the seat for more than a decade.
 
With his signing of the Pledge, Representative Berg has made a commitment to the taxpayers in North Dakota that he will fight against the outrageous tax-and-spend policies of a reckless and seemingly out-of-touch United States Congress. ATR urges all candidates in North Dakota to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and make the same promise.
 
The full statement from ATR can be read here:
 
Rick Berg (R-N.D.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
Congressional candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rick Berg, a Republican running in North Dakota’s 1st 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, Rick Berg demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers in North Dakota’s 1st Congressional district.”
 

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