Of course none have signed the discharge petition yet, but next week who knows?
Americans for Tax Reform lists 219 of 435 incoming Representatives and 39 of 100 incoming Senators who have signed Grover's pledge (PDF). Of those 33 Representatives and 12 Senators have renounced their pledge as of 12/6/12. This leaves 186 Representatives and 27 Senators. 16 incoming Republican Representatives and 6 incoming Republican Senators never signed the pledge. 66 incoming Republicans oppose it, 76 total.
Incoming pledge renouncers:
DEM-Robert Andrews (NJ-01)
1-Charles Boustany (LA-03)
2-Howard Coble (NC-06)
3-Tom Cole (OK-04)
4-John Campbell (CA-45)
5-Rick Crawford (AR-01)
6-Charlie Dent (PA-15)
7-Scott DesJarlais (TN-04)
8-Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) - NEW
9-Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01)
10-Chris Gibson (NY-19)
11-Kay Granger (TX-12)
12-Walter Jones (NC-03)
13-Peter King (NY-02)
14-John Kline (MN-02)
15-Tom Latham (IA-03)
16-Buck McKeon (CA-25)
17-Pat Meehan (PA-07)
18-Tom Marino (PA-10)
19-Rich Nugent (FL-11)
20-Erik Paulsen (MN-03)
21-Tom Reed (NY-23)
22-Reid Ribble (WI-08)
23-Scott Rigell (VA-02)
24-Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48)
25-Tom Rooney (FL-17) - NEW
26-Dennis Ross (FL-15)
27-Jon Runyan (NJ-03)
28-John Shimkus (IL-15) - NEW
29-Mike Simpson (ID-02)
30-Adrian Smith (NE-03)
31-Lee Terry (NE-02)
32-Dan Webster (FL-10)
33-Lamar Alexander (TN-SEN)
34-Kelly Ayotte (NH-SEN)
35-Saxby Chambliss (GA-SEN)
36-Tom Coburn (OK-SEN)
37-Bob Corker (TN-SEN)
38-Mike Crapo (ID-SEN)
39-Mike Enzi (WY-SEN)
40-Lindsey Graham (SC-SEN)
41-Mike Johanns (NE-SEN)
42-John McCain (AZ-SEN)
43-Jeff Sessions (AL-SEN)
44-David Vitter (LA-SEN)
Americans for Tax Reform lists 238 of 435 outgoing Representatives and 41 of 100 outgoing Senators
who have signed Grover's pledge (PDF). Of those 44 Representatives and 13 Senators have
renounced their pledge as of 12/6/12. This leaves 194 Representatives and 28 Senators. 6 outgoing Republican Representatives and 7 outgoing Republican Senators never signed the pledge. 67 outgoing Republicans oppose it, 76 total.
Outgoing pledge renouncers:
45-Charlie Bass (NH-02)
DEM-Ben Chandler (KY-06)
46-Chip Cravaack (MN-08)
47-Robert Dold (IL-10)
48-Jeff Flake (AZ-06)
49-Nan Hayworth (NY-19)
50-Tim Johnson (IL-15)
51-Steve LaTourette (OH-14)
52-Mary Bono Mack (CA-45)
53-Bob Turner (NY-09)
54-Allen West (FL-22)
DEM-Ben Nelson (NE-SEN)
16 GOP U.S. House Non-Signers:
55-Chris Stewart (UT-02)
56-Jackie Walorksi (IN-02)
57-Susan Brooks (IN-05)
58-Scott Perry (PA-04)
59-Brad Wenstrup (OH-02)
60-Tom Rice (SC-07)
61-Jim Bridenstine (OK-01)
62-Ted Yoho (FL-03)
63-Richard Hanna (NY-22)
64-Rob Woodall (GA-07)
65-Rob Wittman (VA-01)
66-Frank Wolf (VA-10)
67-Kevin Yoder (KS-03)
68-Rodney Davis (IL-13)
69-David Joyce (OH-14)
70-Paul Cook (CA-08)
7 GOP U.S. Senate Non-Signers:
REP – Sen Jeff Flake (AZ-SEN)
71-Charles Grassley (IA-SEN)
72-Susan Collins (ME-SEN)
73-Olympia Snowe (ME-SEN)
74-Thad Cochran (MS-SEN)
75-John Barrasso (WY-SEN)
76-John Hoeven (ND-SEN)
The following Representatives have all renounced their pledge.
Robert Andrews (NJ-01) spoke to The Hill on 11/9/11:
Andrews told The Hill he signed the document a single time, in 1992, and wants his name removed. "I understood it to mean that for the next term, if I were elected, I would not vote to raise taxes," Andrews, who called the ATR website "terribly misleading," said in an interview. "I honored that pledge. I never renewed it. I never considered it to be like my marriage vows," he added. "I’m married to Camille Andrews, not Grover Norquist. I promised her to be faithful until death do us part, and I mean it. I did not promise him to oppose tax increases until death do us part."
Charlie Bass (NH-02)
released a statement on 11/26/12:
Bass, who is more moderate than Guinta, already signaled that he might buck the pledge when he supported a budget earlier this year based on the so-called Simpson-Bowles Commission report, which included both spending cuts and revenue increases. In an email yesterday, Bass spokeswoman Stephanie DuBois said he believes “both parties must be willing to consider all ideas to prevent our nation from going over the cliff. Congressman Bass’ obligation has always been to the people of New Hampshire and doing what is in their best interest, and as always, is willing to consider all reasonable, bipartisan solutions to solve the challenges facing our economy and nation before the end of the year.”
Charles Boustany (LA-03)
spoke to the Lafayette Daily Advertiser on 8/18/11:
Yesterday, Norquist lost another devotee in Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), who told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser’s editorial board that "though he would not vote to increase taxes, he would not again sign a pledge binding him to not do so": Boustany, like more than 230 of his peers in the House of Representatives, signed lobbyist Grover Norquist’s "Taxpayer Protection Pledge." "I will not sign another pledge," Boustany said. "We have to have the flexibility to do the right thing for American people."
John Campbell (CA-45)
spoke to the Orange County Register on 11/29/12:
All five of the county’s Republican House members have signed Grover Norquist‘s pledge not to support tax increases. But none said they felt constrained by that pledge. "I think that tax hikes are absolutely the wrong thing to do," Campbell said. "But you have to look at the entirety of what you’re voting on and decide whether it is the best way to move the country forward given the circumstances. My ideology guides my thinking, but it does not replace my thinking."
Ben Chandler (KY-06)
apparently broke the pledge in 2012:
"Mr. Chandler from Kentucky was elected, Ben Chandler, taking the pledge. He broke the pledge and he was defeated in the last election. People were unhappy that he pretended to be a conservative democrat, and he lost his election," Norquist said.
Howard Coble (NC-06)
spoke to the News Observer on 11/28/12:
"I’m not enthusiastic about it (the possibility of a tax increase)," says Coble, a longtime congressman from Greensboro who signed the pledge around 1986 during his second term. "But I don’t think anything should be off the table. Just because I advocate for that, I may or may not vote for it. But that would depend on what is finally handed to us."
Tom Cole (OK-04)
spoke to Politico on 11/27/12:
"I think we ought to take the 98 percent deal right now," he said of freezing income tax rates for all but the top 2 percent of earners. "It doesn’t mean I agree with raising the top 2. I don’t."
Chip Cravaack (MN-08)
spoke to constituents on 3/5/12:
Cravaack said he did during the 2010 campaign — a pledge not to raise taxes. Even though he has been a strong supporter of spending cuts rather than tax increases, Cravaack said signing it was a mistake. "I have learned, never sign a damn pledge."
Rick Crawford (AR-01)
released a statement on 3/15/12:
Congressman Rick Crawford today introduced The Shared Responsibility in Preserving America’s Future Act, which would require passage of a balanced budget amendment by the Congress in exchange for a 5 percent surtax on individual income exceeding $1 million annually.
Charlie Dent (PA-15)
spoke to Pennsylvania Cable News in 2012:
"I am prepared to accept additional revenue,” he said. “I take really one oath, and that is to protect, to uphold the Constitution. That’s my oath and that’s the one I take most seriously. Again, that was signed back in 2004 and a lot has occurred since then so I would argue that I am going to do what’s right for the people of this country and the people of my district."
Scott DesJarlais (TN-04)
released a statement on 11/27/12:
"The only pledge that matters is the one I made to my constituents to always represent their interests in Congress. I will judge any legislation put forth to avoid the fiscal cliff based solely upon the wishes and needs of the people of Tennessee’s Fourth Congressional District."
Robert Dold (IL-10)
spoke to the Deerfield Patch on 10/15/12:
Dold then touted his support of the Cooper-LaTourette financial plan as an alternative to the House Republican Budget authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), his party’s vice presidential candidate. He was one of eight co-sponsors—four Democrats and four Republicans. "When the first bipartisan budget was introduced, I was one of four Republicans to co sponsor it," Dold said. "All options have to be on the table." After the debate, Patch asked Dold if his support for the Cooper-LaTourette budget meant he had voted for more government revenue in contradiction of the Norquist pledge. "I did say that," he said.
Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08)
spoke to the Saint Louis Post Dispatch on 12/2/12:
U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., remarked last week that some of her fellow Republicans compare their no-new-taxes pledge to "milk that has been in the refrigerator too long.... I’m willing to put taxes or revenues on the table. And they have to put entitlements on the table. In a labor negotiation, you put everything on the table, don’t you?” she said.
Jeff Flake (AZ-06)
spoke to constituents on 10/10/12:
Rep. Jeff Flake of Arizona, engaged in a tight race for Senate, claimed during a debate that he had not signed the ATR pledge. "The only pledge I'd sign is a pledge to sign no more pledges," Flake said. "We've got to ensure that we go back and represent our constituents in a way -- I believe in limited government, economic freedom, individual responsibility. I don't want higher taxes. But no more pledges." A spokesman later clarified that while Flake signed an earlier version of the pledge, the wording has since changed in such way as to invalidate his previous support. Flake went on to win the Senate seat.
Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01)
spoke to constituents on 8/8/11:
"I did sign that pledge when I was first running" for the House in 2004, Fortenberry said. "I no longer sign any pledges." A pledge "restrains your ability to think creatively," he said, noting Norquist attempts to interpret and define what is considered a tax increase. "I informed the organization I don't consider (the earlier pledge) binding," Fortenberry said. "I don't care to be associated with it. It's too constraining."
Chris Gibson (NY-19)
released a statement on 11/29/12:
"Regarding the pledge moving forward, Congressman Gibson doesn’t plan to resign it for the 19th Congressional District, which he now represents (the pledge is to your constituents of a numbered district). Those voters have just evaluated the Congressman on his record and his record is the same as his position now – again, that he’ll fight for tax policy that helps those he represents."
Kay Granger (TX-12)
spoke to Bloomberg News on 12/6/12:
Separately, more House Republicans began to endorse Oklahoma Republican Tom Cole’s call to extend all tax cuts for middle-class earners, as Obama has asked Congress to do by the end of the year. Representative Kay Granger of Texas called it "just the right thing to do."
Nan Hayworth (NY-19)
spoke to the Journal News on 11/16/12:
Hayworth still believes raising taxes, even on the super-rich, will hurt the economy. But she sounded prepared to vote for tax increases that would provide certainty about 2013 taxes for individuals, financial markets and the corporate sector. She wants to avoid a stalemate that would push decisions to the 113th Congress in January. "Now, we have to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good," she said. "We have to be yielding on tax-increase issues."
Tim Johnson (IL-15)
spoke to Roll Call on 3/8/12:
In a phone interview after Roll Call sent a copy of the document to Shelden, Johnson conceded he had signed the pledge but said it was no longer binding for him. "I would never in a million years have considered this as some kind of a locked-in-granite pledge. Frankly, I didn’t even remember it. That shows you how obscure it was to me," Johnson said. "My understanding was then, as I remember it, and certainly now, is that nobody could possibly ever in a million years, in their wildest imagination, expect you to sign something that was right before a primary election and then you’d be locked in on that position the whole rest of your career. Particularly something like taxes and particularly when the national debt 10 and a half years ago was $6 trillion and now it’s going to be $17 trillion."
Walter Jones (NC-03)
spoke to The Hill on 12/5/12:
GOP Rep. Walter Jones said this week that he might buck his party and endorse the Democrats' petition to force a vote on extending a tax break for middle-class earners. The North Carolina Republican said he's not prepared to sign the petition now, but would reconsider if the “fiscal cliff" negotiations remain at an impasse next week. "I, at this point, am not going to sign the discharge petition," Jones said. "I said 'at this point.' I don't know what next week will bring."
Peter King (NY-02)
spoke to NBC News on 11/25/12:
"First of all, I agree entirely with Saxby Chambliss. A pledge you signed 20 years ago, 18 years ago, is for that Congress. For instance, if I were in Congress in 1941, I would have signed a declaration of war against Japan. I’m not going to attack Japan today. The world has changed. And the economic situation is different."
John Kline (MN-02)
spoke to the Star Tribune on 11/27/12:
But Kline, who signed the pledge as a candidate for Congress, said he views it as a commitment to oppose higher tax rates, not reforms that could actually produce more revenue. "Most people who signed that pledge would say that increasing revenues through lowering rates and simplifying the code is certainly consistent with what we thought we were signing on to," he said in an interview.
Tom Latham (IA-03)
released a statement on 11/29/12:
Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, understands that everything is on the table, said his chief of staff James Carstensen. He will judge any proposal on its merits, Carstensen said. "He’s not worried about a pledge to Grover Norquist," Carstensen said. "His concern is about the people of Iowa and what’s best for them."
Steve LaTourette (OH-14)
spoke to the Christian Science Monitor on 11/7/11:
"I don’t think I ever contemplated in 1994 that I was then bound to indentured servitude for the rest of my career," says the nine-term lawmaker, a longtime ally of Speaker John Boehner of Ohio. "I thought we could balance the budget in the 1990s, and we did it. But times have changed. We’re on track to owe $20 trillion, and to be beholden to some pledge when the future of the country is at stake is kind of silly," he adds.
Mary Bono Mack (CA-45)
spoke to CNN on 11/29/12:
"I have to say that if you’re going to sign me up with a camp, I like what Tom Cole has to say," California Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack said on CNN on Thursday. Cole is the Republican who suggested that his party vote to extend the Bush tax-rates for everyone but the highest income earners and leave the rest of the debate for later.
Thomas Marino (PA-10)
spoke to the Wayne Independent on 10/15/12:
Marino was part of an extensive interview in August and suggested that he would be open to raising taxes on the top 1 or 2 percent of wage earners if that money went to reduce the deficit and cut spending. "I'm not opposed to entering in those conversations with everything on the table," said Marino. "But, before I'd entertain anything like that, there needs to be an absolute clear agreement that spending is going to be significantly lower and that we downsize government. Anything that we can do to lower the debt, as far as I'm concerned, is on the table."
Buck McKeon (CA-25)
spoke to the Daily Beast on 9/12/11:
The Republican chairman of the influential House Armed Services Committee said Monday if forced to choose, he would prefer tax increases over further cuts to the defense budget. "If it came that I had only two choices, one was a tax increase and one was a cut in defense over and above where we already are, I would go to strengthen defense," Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon confirmed to The Daily Beast during a forum at American Enterprise Institute.
Pat Meehan (PA-07)
released a statement on 11/28/12:
Both Republicans stopped short of saying they would raise any tax rates, but said revenues could be increased by closing loopholes. "The most important pledge is the one I make to my constituents when I'm sworn in," Meehan said in a statement. "I'm going to do the very best I can to avoid the fiscal cliff and keep our economy strong."
Rich Nugent (FL-11)
spoke to the Ocala Star Banner on 11/28/12:
"As someone with a voting record and dozens of public statements on the matter, I think people know exactly where I stand. That's why on this, and any number of other issues, I decided not to sign any pledges at all this year," Nugent said.
Erik Paulsen (MN-03)
spoke to the Star Tribune on 11/27/12:
Paulsen also distanced himself from a literal reading of the tax pledge, saying in a separate interview that "the details matter on what loopholes there would be or the tax revenue changes there would be." Paulsen also noted that he signed the pledge as a member of the Minnesota Legislature, not as a member of Congress. The version signed by state legislators states simply that "I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes."
Tom Reed (NY-23)
spoke to the Buffalo News on 11/26/12:
In contrast to the pledge, “what we’ve said in the last few weeks is that we will consider revenue on the wealthier segment of American society and we are open to that and we’ll continue to take that position,” Reed said.
Reid Ribble (WI-08)
spoke to the LA Times on 11/4/11:
He'd even like to see some taxes cut. But when it comes to, say, closing the tax loophole for ethanol producers, and using that new revenue to bring down the debt, he parts company with the anti-tax stalwart. The only pledge he's pledging to make in the future is to his constituents in Wisconsin. "I want to be intellectually honest with the folks back home," Ribble said Friday. "I'm no longer signing any pledges to anybody. I'm not going to sign it next year."
Scott Rigell (VA-02)
wrote to constituents on 2/2/12:
"About two and a half years ago I signed the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) Pledge. Much has transpired since then and I recently informed Grover Norquist, the President of ATR, of my decision to not renew the pledge as I seek re-election."
Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48)
spoke to the Orange County register on 11/29/12:
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, pointed out that the Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire without action from Congress — that even if Republicans go along with such a plan, if would not require them to vote for a tax hike. "If taxes go up in the country, it’s not because Congress votes to raise taxes," he said.
Dennis Ross (FL-15)
spoke to Bloomberg News on 12/6/12:
Florida Representative Dennis Ross, a freshman Republican, said he wouldn’t rule out voting for Senate-passed legislation to extend only the middle-class tax cuts. "I don’t think at this juncture you rule anything out," Ross said.
Jon Runyan (NJ-03)
released a statement on 11/28/12:
Runyan, also in a statement, said the Norquist pledge "will not be a part of my decision-making process. I firmly believe that this discussion should allow for all ideas to be on the table and open for discussion, including spending cuts, entitlement reform, and increasing revenue." The congressmen, each of whom just won a second term in a moderate suburban district, joined a growing list of lawmakers who have said they will not be bound by the antitax pledge amid negotiations over how to avoid the fiscal cliff. "The nation is looking to Washington to put partisanship aside and come up with a compromise," Runyan said.
John Shimkus (IL-15)
spoke to the Saint Louis Post Dispatch on 12/2/12:
Rep. John Shimkus of Collinsville is among Republicans who seem to be saying that terms of that agreement could be fulfilled by a deal that closes loopholes and simplifies the tax code, even if wealthier Americans see higher rates in January. "I signed it in ‘96. Have I thought about it since that time? No," he said. "The issue is, we’ve got to bring more revenue to the table regardless of this pledge." Shimkus added: "There are very few times that you’re able to confront the major issue of our time. And the major issue of our time is the national debt. This is moment in time to man up."
Mike Simpson (ID-02)
spoke to Reuters on 11/29/12:
"I wouldn't have a problem with letting those tax rates go up," provided they are coupled with spending cuts, Representative Mike Simpson said. Simpson said that raising taxes on the rich "wouldn't be my preferred way to do it. But elections have consequences," referring to Obama winning a second term earlier this month.
Adrian Smith (NE-03)
spoke to the World Herald on 11/29/12:
“The pledge is not as applicable to this situation, because doing nothing is what makes taxes go up,” said Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb, a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee who, like others interviewed for this article, opposes increasing tax rates. "If we have a package that really addresses what our economy needs and what we should avoid... I don’t see the pledge being an issue."
Lee Terry (NE-02)
spoke to the World Herald on 11/29/12:
Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., signed Norquist's pledge but says now that he's open to a deal that includes some new tax revenues. Still, he said, the president needs to work across the aisle. "He's not dealing with terrorists, he's dealing with Republicans who don't want to raise taxes," Terry said.
Bob Turner (NY-09)
spoke to Capital Tonight on 5/1/12:
In an interview with New York’s “Capital Tonight,” Bob Turner said that Republicans "can’t continue to uniformly oppose tax increases in order to solve the debt issue." He went on to state that "there will certainly be compromises." When pressed as to whether that meant tax increases, Turner responded by saying, "Whatever has to be done."
Dan Webster (FL-10)
spoke to the Orlando Sentinel on 9/18/12:
"I signed it back when I was in the state senate.... We have got to do something and everything has to be on the table."
Allen West (FL-22)
spoke to Politico on 5/17/12:
Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) scoffed at the idea the pledge was some sort of blood oath. A number of other offices of freshman members told POLITICO their bosses had sworn oaths to do what was best for their districts, not Americans for Tax Reform. "I signed that thing in the desert of Afghanistan," West said in an interview. "I got home and they wanted me to sign again during my campaign, and I wouldn’t, and Grover started yelling at my campaign manager. Grover is a nice guy, but I think he’s a little misguided. I don’t care if he has my name on his website, it’s meaningless," West added. "I think my voting record speaks for itself."
The following Senators have also renounced their pledge.
Lamar Alexander (TN-SEN) spoke to Roll Call on 6/15/11:
“My view is a good way to reduce the debt is to get rid of unwarranted tax breaks,” GOP Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) said.
Kelly Ayotte (NH-SEN)
released a statement 11/26/12:
U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte indicated yesterday that she could join a growing number of Republican lawmakers willing to buck a no-higher-taxes pledge in order to avert the year-end "fiscal cliff," a combination of automatic federal budget cuts and expiring tax breaks. "The only pledge that keeps me up at night is the pledge I owe to the people of New Hampshire and our country to work as hard as I can to make sure America doesn’t go bankrupt," said Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican, in a statement.
Saxby Chambliss (GA-SEN)
spoke to WMAZ on 11/21/12:
"I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge," Chambliss says. "If we do it his way then we'll continue in debt, and I just have a disagreement with him about that."
Tom Coburn (OK-SEN)
wrote to the New York Times on 7/15/12:
"I recently proposed amendments to end tax earmarks for movie producers and the ethanol industry. Mr. Norquist charged that those measures would be tax hikes unless paired with dollar-for-dollar rate reductions. And yet all but six of the 41 Senate Republicans who had signed his pledge voted for my amendments."
Bob Corker (TN-SEN)
spoke to CBS News on 11/26/12:
"Well, I’m not obligated on the pledge. I made Tennesseans aware, I was just elected, that the only thing I’m honoring is the oath that I take when I serve, when I’m sworn in this January."
Mike Crapo (ID-SEN)
released a statement on 12/2/10:
“This plan will not just avert a disaster, but help drive the kind of economic recovery we need to create jobs and spur growth. The plan’s provisions to lower tax rates while creating fairness in the tax code are similar to pro-growth policies supported by President Reagan. The plan also reduces discretionary spending and takes meaningful steps to preserve Social Security. Taking steps now to reduce our debt burden and slow unsustainable entitlement spending can help prevent massive and debilitating tax increases in the future. Finally, all of these steps will send a clear signal to investors that America is serious about getting its fiscal house in order.”
Mike Enzi (WY-SEN)
released a statement on 11/29/12:
Enzi signed it during his first Senate campaign in 1996 but has not signed any pledges since, said his spokesman, Dan Head. Part of the problem, Head said by email, is that pledges can be open to interpretation and the meaning can change over time. For example, some lawmakers have used the Americans for Tax Reform pledge to defend spending, he said. "Grover Norquist doesn't live in Wyoming and Sen. Enzi's primary concern is what is best for his constituents," Head said. "He will not give away his vote to someone else's stretched interpretation."
Lindsey Graham (SC-SEN)
spoke to ABC News on 6/12/12:
"When you eliminate a deduction, it's okay with me to use some of that money to get us out of debt. That's where I disagree with the pledge," said Graham.
Mike Johanns (NE-SEN)
spoke to the World Herald on 11/29/12:
"Depending upon how willing they are to reform what’s driving the spending, which is entitlements, I’ll be willing to talk about slimming down (tax) deductions, closing loopholes," Johanns said.
John McCain (AZ-SEN)
spoke to Fox News on 11/25/12:
"I would be very much opposed to raising tax rates. But I do believe we can close a lot of loop holes."
Ben Nelson (NE-SEN)
apparently broke his pledge in 2012:
Sen. Ben Nelson (D) of Nebraska broke his no-new-tax pledge and soon after announced his retirement from the Senate in 2012. "He withdrew because polling showed he could not win a general election having both lied to his state and raised their taxes," Mr. Norquist said in Friday's statement.
Jeff Sessions (AL-SEN)
spoke to Fox News on 11/27/12:
"Oh, I signed it," Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama said on Fox News about Norquist's pledge, adding he still supports its goals. "But we've got to deal with the crisis we face. We've got to deal with the political reality of the president's victory."
David Vitter (LA-SEN)
spoke to the Times Pacayune on 11/27/12:
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said "like the great majority of Republicans," he's open "to a reasonable compromise that significantly lowers deficit and debt, particularly new revenue from upper income folks through fundamental tax reform combined with real and significant spending reform."
3:59 PM PT: I'm sure there are more out there. Up to 75.
From the Saint Louis Post Dispatch:
U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., remarked last week that some of her fellow Republicans compare their no-new-taxes pledge to “milk that has been in the refrigerator too long.”
...Rep. John Shimkus of Collinsville is among Republicans who seem to be saying that terms of that agreement could be fulfilled by a deal that closes loopholes and simplifies the tax code, even if wealthier Americans see higher rates in January.
“I signed it in ‘96. Have I thought about it since that time? No,” he said. “The issue is, we’ve got to bring more revenue to the table regardless of this pledge.”
Shimkus added: “There are very few times that you’re able to confront the major issue of our time. And the major issue of our time is the national debt. This is moment in time to man up.”
5:55 PM PT: One more. Up to 76.
Tom Rooney released a statement:
"We should have everything on the table, and we should discuss it," said Michael Mahaffey, a spokesman for Florida Republican Rep. Tom Rooney. Rooney has expressed a willingness to let taxes go up in return for a massive restructuring of the way the federal government pays for Social Security and Medicare. "If we can get a big deal that includes real entitlement reform, then we should consider ways to balance that with more revenue," Mahaffey continued.