by Nick Tomboulides
Signers of the U.S. Term Limits pledge scored some big wins in Tuesday’s congressional primaries in Arizona and Florida. The pledge calls for a constitutional amendment to limit the U.S. House to three terms and the U.S. Senate to two.
In Arizona, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu won a primary to become the Republican nominee in Arizona’s first congressional district.
“Many congressmen are more concerned about staying in office than securing our border, enforcing the laws and corralling runaway spending,” Babeu said after signing the USTL pledge. “We need a government that works for the people and not for themselves.”
While Babeu is a Republican, term limits are an issue that cuts across party lines. That’s why Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick, a Democrat, also signed the pledge. Kirkpatrick won her U.S. Senate primary Tuesday and will challenge 30-year incumbent John McCain in November.
“Career politicians put themselves ahead of what’s best for the country,” Kirkpatrick said. “Things have gotten so bad that I’m convinced we need term limits.”
Incumbent pledge signer David Schweikert also got renominated Tuesday in Arizona’s sixth district.
In Florida, all eyes were on the U.S. Senate primary where pledge signer Marco Rubio won the GOP nomination with more than 70 percent of the vote.
Four more signers won U.S. House primaries in Florida, including Army Staff Sgt. Brian Mast, a disabled Afghan War veteran competing in Florida’s open 18th district.
He hopes to be joined in the freshman class of term limits supporters by Matt Gaetz, a 34-year-old attorney whose victory in Florida’s 1st district primary makes him very likely to serve in Congress.
Representatives Ron DeSantis and Tom Rooney, who signed the pledge in 2014, were renominated to serve their respective districts.
Nick Tomboulides is Executive Director of U.S. Term Limits