Florida Attorney Todd Long, who is running for the United States Congress in Florida’s 8th district, recently signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The 2008 candidate joins more than 150 candidates seeking Federal Office this November to put their signature on the Pledge, along with the more than 200 elected officials in DC who had previously signed the Pledge on their way to victory.

Long, who began his own Law Firm just a few years ago, is running in the GOP Primary, being held August 24th, for the chance to go up against 1st term incumbent Democrat Alan Grayson. Republicans had held the district for more than 25 years before Grayson’s 2008 victory, most notably by Pledge Signing Attorney General and current Gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum from 1983-2001. The Cook Political Report rates their PVI for FL-08 at R+2 for the 2010 midterms. Grayson is one of many Democrats who serve in Republican leaning districts who face the challenge of defending support for a jobless stimulus, and a job killing Cap & Trade bill to voters next November.
 
With his signing of the Pledge, Todd Long has promised the taxpayers in Florida’s 8th district that he, unlike non-signer Grayson, will do his part in stopping tax increases and needless, wasteful spending from a reckless Congress that has been running up massive debt and shouldering the burden on middle-class families in FL-08 and all across the country. ATR encourages all Federal candidates in the state of Florida, and all over the nation to follow the example of Todd Long, and many others and sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
 
The official statement from ATR on Todd Long can be seen below.
 
Todd Long (R-Fla.) signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
Congressional candidate promises to protect taxpayers’ wallets
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Todd Long, 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, 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, Todd Long 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.