Cox Challenges GOP Field To Sign Taxpayer Protection Pledge Ahead Of Tax Day Anniversary

“Talk is cheap. If you’re serious about tax relief, sign the pledge and commit to vetoing any and all tax increases.”

LANSING, MI — On the eve of Tax Day, and one year after launching his campaign on a pledge to eliminate Michigan’s income tax, gubernatorial candidate Mike Cox is challenging his Republican opponents to match his record by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge with Americans for Tax Reform.

“Michiganders are writing checks to Lansing this week, and politicians are still pretending small tweaks are enough. They’re not. It’s time to end the tax on work, and guarantee that Michigan’s next Governor will veto all tax increases.”

Cox was the first candidate in the race to call for eliminating the income tax, announcing his plan on March 3, 2025, and making it a cornerstone of his campaign launch on April 15, 2025.

On Tax Day 2025, he became the first candidate in the Michigan governor’s race to sign the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge and, a year later, remains the only one to do so. The pledge commits him to veto any and all tax increases as Governor, earning praise from Grover Norquist:

“I strongly applaud Mike Cox for taking a principled stand and signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. He has exhibited a true dedication to fiscal responsibility and pro-growth tax policy by making this commitment. This Pledge is a powerful symbol of his unwavering support for hardworking taxpayers and their right to keep more of their hard-earned money.”

Cox challenged his opponents to stop hedging and make their position clear to voters.

“Now you’ve got candidates trying to claim they’re on board, but they didn’t lead on this, they followed. And even now, nobody else will make the one commitment that actually matters: putting their name on a binding pledge to never raise taxes.”

“If you’re serious about cutting taxes, prove it. Sign the pledge. Commit to vetoing any and all tax increases,” Cox said. “If you won’t, then voters know exactly where you stand.”

“Gretchen Whitmer has drained the pocketbooks of working families. They need relief from the next Governor, not more tax hikes. Lansing doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending addiction.”

Cox also pointed to his record as Attorney General, where he cut his department’s staff by more than 20% percent while increasing output.

“I didn’t just talk about doing more with less. I did it. As Governor, I’ll do the same. We’re going to DOGE the hell out of state government to give every Michigan family a raise.”

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April 15, 2025: Mike Cox Launches Campaign for Governor with Pledge to end the Tax on Work

April 15, 2025: Mike Cox is first candidate to sign the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge committing to veto any and all tax increases.

June 19, 2025: Grover Norquist Lauds Mike Cox for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge