State Representative Thad Viers has become the first candidate in the race for South Carolina’s 7^th Congressional seat to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The 7^th district is a new district, created based on South Carolina’s increase in population from the 2010 census. Rep. Viers is running against Mande Wilkes, a Tea Party activist, and there are several other potential candidates considering a run for the Republican nomination. No Democrats have announced their intent to seek the party nomination at this point.

South Carolina’s 7^th Congressional district, which includes Myrtle Beach and Florence, is rated as a solid Republican district so whoever wins the Republican nomination will likely win in next November’s general election.

By signing the Pledge, Viers commits to the taxpayers of South Carolina 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 Viers signing the Pledge, ATR’s President Grover Norquist had this to say:

I want to congratulate Rep. Thad Viers 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.

South Carolina Congressional Candidate Thad Viers signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge

WASHINGTON, DC— South Carolina Representative Thad Viers has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in his race for South Carolina’s 7^th 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 Thad Viers 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, Thad Viers demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers of South Carolina.”

“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]

Posted by Paul Blair on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 2:08 PM EDT

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