Political Action Arm of Nation’s Largest Taxpayer Group Says Ohioans Can Do Better Than Schmidt

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 10 -- Ohio needs a true taxpayer’s advocate who will help lead the fight for lower taxes and less wasteful government spending: that’s the assessment of the National Taxpayers Union Campaign Fund (NTUCF), which today announced it is recommending that Republican primary voters in the 2nd District of Ohio vote for anyone other than Jean Schmidt.

“Jean Schmidt established a record of supporting higher taxes when she was in the Ohio Legislature -- it would be a mistake for Ohioans to send her to Congress,” said NTUCF President John Berthoud. “Overspending has pushed up deficits, and pressure is growing for raising taxes. Jean Schmidt succumbed to that pressure in Columbus, and we fear she would in Washington as well.”

Voters on Tuesday will be selecting both a Republican and a Democratic nominee for Congress in Ohio’s 2nd District. The seat was vacated by Rob Portman, who was nominated by President Bush to serve as United States Trade Representative. NTUCF is not making a recommendation in the Democratic primary.

Berthoud observed that there are several strong candidates in the Republican race who NTUCF’s leadership believes would make fine Members of Congress including Tom Brinkman, Pat DeWine, and former Congressman Bob McEwen.

“Taxpayers in Ohio and around the nation already send too much of their hard-earned money to Washington,” Berthoud concluded. “Tuesday’s primary is an opportunity for voters to nominate someone who will be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem, which is why NTUCF is urging Republican voters in Ohio’s 2nd district to avoid casting a ballot for Jean Schmidt.”

NTUCF is the political action arm of the National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s largest grassroots taxpayer organization. NTU, founded in 1969, created the NTU Campaign Fund in 1994. Endorsement decisions at NTUCF require a unanimous vote on a nonpartisan basis by a five-member committee that includes two Independents, one Democrat, and two Republicans.

Contact Information

John Berthoud

Media Contact

National Taxpayers Union Campaign Fund

Contact via E-mail