Today, State Sen. Marlin Stutzman joined a growing list of candidates that have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge during the 2010 election cycle. Stutzman, also a Pledge signer on the state level, is looking to replace Sen. Evan Bayh who shocked politicos recently with his plans to retire.

Bayh looked to be a difficult candidate for any Republican challenger with $13 million in campaign cash and good polling numbers, but with his decision to retire the political landscape in Indiana changed dramatically. The open seat instantly became a major pickup opportunity for the GOP. Cook Political Report and CQ Politics now rate this race as “Lean Republican.” In fact, CPR said, “it is unlikely that they [Democrats] will be able to come up with a strong enough candidate to compete in a GOP-leaning state in the current political climate.”
 
Stutzman is currently the only candidate to have signed the “no new taxes” Pledge in the Indiana US Senate Race, but ATR continues to reach out to all campaigns.
 
To see ATR’s official statement on Stutzman signing the Pledge, click “read more.”
 
Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
Senatorial candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets
 
INDIANA, D.C. – Marlin Stutzman, a Republican running for the US Senate in Indiana, 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, Marlin Stutzman demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers in Indiana.”
 
“I challenge all candidates for federal office to make the same commitment to taxpayers by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today,” Norquist continued.