Alabama voters may need to wait until the July 17th runoff to find out who will be the GOP nominee for U.S. House District 2, but right now they know that whoever wins is committed to protecting taxpayers. Incumbent Representative Martha Roby and challenger Bobby Bright have both signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
By signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Roby and Bright have made a written commitment to constituents to oppose any and all attempt to raise taxes while in office. The winner of the primary runoff will most likely go on to win the solid red district in the November general election.
“I applaud both the candidates running in the GOP primary for making such an important commitment to Alabama taxpayers,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “Following passage of federal tax reform, the United States has become an even more attractive destination for investment. Avoiding tax increases will ensure that Alabama remains an attractive destination in the U.S. for the expected influx of global capital. By signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, both Republicans running for Congress have made clear that they recognize the importance of keeping Alabama a low tax state.”
Americans for Tax Reform offers the Pledge to all candidates for state and federal office. In the 115th Congress, 46 U.S. Senators and 209 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are pledge signers. Pledge signers include Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, and GOP Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady are also pledge signers.
On the state level, this commitment is shared by 11 incumbent governors including Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.), Gov. Rick Scott (Fla.), and Gov. Paul LePage (M.E.), and nearly 1,000 state legislators across the country.
President Ronald Reagan endorsed the Pledge and campaigned for Pledge-signing candidates in the 1986 midterm elections.