State Rep. Kurt Kelly recently signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in his bid to face off against incumbent Rep. Alan Grayson (D) in Florida’s Eighth Congressional District. Kelly joins 2008 candidate Todd Long as the only Pledge signer in the GOP primary field to date.

Cook Political Report ranks this race as a “Toss Up” with a PVI of R+2; making this the 212th– most Republican district in the country. Grayson is a first term Congressman who defeated Republican Ric Keller in 2008 with 52% of the vote. Previously, Keller had won reelection with 53% in 2006 and 60% in 2004. President Obama took this district in 2008 with 53% of the vote, but former President Bush received 55% in 2004.
 
Kelly joins the growing number of Pledge signers challenging vulnerable incumbents across the country.
 
To see ATR’s official announcement on Kelly signing the Pledge, click “read more.”
 
Kurt Kelly (R-Fla.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
Congressional candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kurt Kelly, a Republican running in Florida’s 8th 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, Kurt Kelly demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers in Florida’s 8th 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.
 
For a pdf version of this release, click here.