By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Republican Party
Thursday, the Democratic Congressional Committee charged that U.S. Rep. Martha Roby voted with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, and “Establishment Republicans in Washington to hike taxes on the middle class so that they can hand out huge tax cuts to large corporations and the very wealthy. The Republican Tax Scam eliminates popular middle class deductions for state and local taxes, medical expenses, and student loans while slashing taxes for the wealthiest Americans.”
“There’s a wrecking ball coming straight for the middle class in Alabama, thanks to Rep. Martha Roby’s vote on the Republican Tax Scam,” said DCCC spokesperson Jacob Peters. “This is a Republican Tax Scam and the victims of Rep. Roby’s vote are the millions of middle class families who will see their taxes go up, while corporations and the wealthy laugh all the way to the bank.”
The Democrats have been critical of the House Republicans Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1.
Congresswoman Roby, for her part, was much more optimistic about the bill.
“I have some GREAT news for everyone who wants lower taxes: The House has passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act our historic plan to reform the federal tax code and give Americans much-needed tax relief,” Rep. Roby wrote in an email to constituents.
“Here’s how our plan will help your family:
Lowers tax rates
Increases the standard deduction
Eliminates special-interest deductions
Preserves the Adoption credit
Repeals the Death Tax”
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has moved on to the U.S. Senate where Republican senators led by Mitch McConnell are reportedly writing their own tax reform bill.
Congressional Democrats have targeted Congresswoman Martha Roby as a vulnerable Republican incumbent in the 2018 Congressional elections, so the Democratic Congressional Committee has been periodically emailing local media with criticism of Roby and the other Republicans they are targeting in 2018. At this point, Roby is the only one of the six Republican seats in Alabama.
Democrats took the 2nd Congressional District seat in 2008 when Mayor Bobby Bright defeated then state Rep. Jay Love for the open seat that had been in GOP hands for over 20 years. Roby, then a Montgomery city councilwoman, unseated Bright in the Republican movement election of 2010 that took control of the House from the Democrats and then Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Democrats also hope to pick up a Senate seat from Alabama in the special election this December 12. Former State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is facing a well-funded Democrat in former Clinton-era U.S. Attorney Doug Jones for the Senate seat formerly held by Jeff Sessions. Sessions vacated the seat to become U.S. attorney general.
Audri Scott Williams has already announced that she is running as a Democrat against Roby for the Second Congressional District.
Roby also faces two Republican challengers in the June 5 Republican primary. State Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, and Tommy Amason, a retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major, have both announced that they are challenging Roby in the GOP primary on June 5.
