The state Democrats issued a statement related to Jay Love’s fundraiser hosted by Washington Republicans yesterday.

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 25, 2008
National Republicans Ignore Jay Love’s Tax-Loving Record
National Republicans in Washington are holding a fundraiser for Jay Love today, making it clear they are behind him in the primary run-off for Alabama’s Second Congressional District. What they haven’t made clear is if they also support Love’s long history of raising taxes on the working families of Alabama.
The National Republican Campaign Committee’s spokesman even attempted to cover up Love’s past, claiming that he has a “record of cutting taxes” (AP, 6/21/08). In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth. Love has consistently supported raising taxes on the people of Alabama in the state legislature, and there is no doubt he will continue his tax-loving record in Congress.
“Jay Love can run from the truth but his record doesn’t lie. He’s voted to raise taxes and he’s voted against cutting taxes. This is a classic case of a slick politician talking out of both sides of his mouth. Washington has seen its fair share of GOP swindlers but the people of district 2 deserve better. It’s time they send a straight shooter up there to represent them in the nation’s capital with Bobby Bright,” said Jim Spearman, Executive Director of the Alabama Democratic Party.
Jay Love’s Tax-Loving Record:
· Love Voted to Raise Property Taxes by $469.5 Million a Year.
Love supported raising Property Taxes on homes, cars, businesses, farms and timber by $496.5 million annually by the time the taxes took full effect in 2008. (Montgomery Advertiser, 6/3/03)
· Love Voted to Raise Income Taxes by $461 Million a Year.
Love supported raising income taxes on individuals by about 20 percent and on business by about 25 percent. (Montgomery Advertiser, 6/3/03)
· Love Voted to Raise Sales Taxes by $178 Million a Year.
Love supported raising sales taxes by $178 million a year, increasing sales tax on cars and boats to 2.5 percent and imposing a 4 percent sales tax on repair and installation of parts in cars and boats. (Montgomery Advertiser, 5/31/03)
· Love Voted Against Eliminating the State Sales Tax on Food.
Just this spring, Love voted against removing Alabama’s state sales tax on food, at a time when grocery prices are soaring. (Roll Call Vote 837, HB 274, 4/15/08, 63-38)
Michael Lowry, Jay Love’s campaign manager responds with a statement, “The liberals are attacking Jay Love because they fear facing him in the fall. They’ve figured out what Republican primary voters have — Jay Love is a conservative who will win in November because of his strong record of cutting taxes. Harri Anne Smith is working from the same liberal playbook because these are the same tired lies that she’s trotted out during the run-off. Voters in the 2nd District will reject them on July 15 and again in November.”
That Democrats “fear facing Love in the fall” is standard campaign rhetoric, but it’s more likely that the Democrats were looking for an opportunity to ding him a bit as he continues to look like the eventual nominee. As one Democratic observer told the Parlor, “Republicans in Congress are not popular anywhere so drawing attention to Love’s connections to Congressional Republicans is win/win.”
The winner of the AL-02 GOP primary runoff between Jay Love and Harri Anne Smith will face Democrat Bobby Bright in the fall.
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