Joe Walsh recently became the latest candidate in Illinois’ 8th Congressional District to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, joining a slew of others as the Illinois primary draws nearer.

Walsh is running in the GOP primary for the opportunity to take on Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean. Cook Political Report ranks the district as an R+1on the Partisan Voter Index (PVI). Bean was elected in 2004, and during her time as a Congresswoman she has earned a 34.6% lifetime record from ATR; not the best way to represent the taxpayers of your district.
 
As a pledge signer, Mr. Walsh has made a commitment to the voters in Illinois that he will fight to ensure that their taxes are not raised. Congresswoman Bean is not a pledge signer, we here at ATR encourage all candidates in the Illinois-08 contest to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The full press release from ATR is directly below.
 
Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
Congressional candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Joe Walsh, a Republican running in 8th Congressional District in Illinois, 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, 33 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, Joe Walsh demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers of Illinois’ 8th district.”
 
“I challenge all candidates for federal office to make the same commitment to taxpayers by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today,” Norquist continued.
 
Copies of the Pledge are available at www.atr.org or by calling (122) 785-0266