Campbell Defends Fiscal Record as he Campaigns for U.S. Senate

Tom Campbell launched his campaign for United States Senate arguing that the fiscal deficit is the number one issue in Washington and that his background of fiscal conservatism makes him the perfect candidate to deal with the problem. One of Campbell’s rivals for the nomination, Carly Fiorina, immediately challenged Campbell’s fiscal credentials.

The Fiorina campaign put out a broadside declaring Campbell’s fiscally conservative credentials expired long ago. In his recent run for governor Campbell supported a temporary gas tax increase to help balance the state budget.

I asked Campbell about that at his Friday news conference.

Campbell said his proposal for a temporary tax increase was a pragmatic, responsible approach to California’s budget problem. He said his overall proposal for the state budget was to cut three dollars of spending for every dollar of tax increase.

Campbell pointed to previous Republican governors — icons he called them — Ronald Reagan, George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson, who all turned to taxes to deal with a difficult budget.

He reminded attendees at the conference that he was running for a federal office and there is so much waste in the federal budget. He said he has a detailed plan to go after the waste.

Campbell said he would not support a tax increase if elected to the Senate.

Campbell, however, said he would not sign a No-Tax Pledge because, he argued, no one can anticipate every situation that might arise. He asked voters to look at his record in congress to understand that he would not seek a tax increase but would pursue massive spending cuts if elected.

Campbell displayed charts boasting his rating by the National Taxpayers Union that tabbed him number one amongst all congress members in standing up for the taxpayers during the time he served in congress.