Wright McLeod and Lee Anderson have become the second and third candidates to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in Georgia’s newly redrawn 12th Congressional District. The incumbent in this race is John Barrow, a Democrat who won his last election with 56.6% of the vote. With the district recently redrawn, his 2012 race will not be quite so easy.
According to the Cook Political Report, Barrow’s 2010 district voted for Obama by a margin of 55%. Yet in the redrawn district, Obama would have only garnered 44% of the vote. This traditionally “Lean Democratic” district has flipped favorability and is rated by the Cook and Rothenberg Political Reports as “Lean Republican.” By drawing Barrow’s home (in heavily Democratic Savannah) into a neighboring district, Barrow has had to move to remain eligible to run for the seat in the 12th District. This, too, may add to his difficulty of getting re-elected next November.
The Republican-favorable environment in the newly drawn 12th Congressional district has led to five candidates declaring their bids for the Republican nomination next year. One other candidate, Maria Sheffield, has already signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Other declared candidates include construction company owner Rick W. Allen and pro-life activist Brian Nafarrete.
By signing the Pledge, these candidates have committed to the taxpayers of Georgia that they will “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.”