Republican U.S. Senate candidate Charlie Crist has signed the national Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge. By doing so Crist promises 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."

The governor had already signed (as have Bill McCollum and Marco Rubio) the state version of the ATR pledge, to "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes." We'll see how that works out with the $1 cigarette tax increase passed by the legislature (background here).

“Americans need leaders committed to fiscal responsibility and pro-growth economic policies. Therefore, I commend Governor Crist for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Signing and abiding by the pledge is a clear indication of a candidate’s dedication to fiscal conservatism,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.

*