WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston joined his fellow Senate-seeking Reps. Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey in voting against Paul Ryan's House Republican budget today, saying it does not balance the budget fast enough.
Kingston announced his fealty to the failed, more conservative Republican Study Committee budget that balances in four years rather than Ryan's 10, and slashes $7.4 trillion from spending projections over the next decade vs. Ryan's $5.1 trillion. Gingrey and Broun also backed the RSC budget. Here's Kingston's statement:
"America's budget problems and massive debt are too dangerous to be put on a 'to-do' list by Congress and that is why I voted to balance the budget before the end of the decade, reform our entitlements, and fully repeal then replace Obamacare so families can keep their doctor and have affordable choices."
This represents a shift from last year, when Kingston voted for the Ryan budget, while Gingrey and Broun voted no. In the years before they were running for U.S. Senate, both Broun and Gingrey at times voted for Ryan's outlines -- including ones that spent more money than this version, due in part to evolving post-recession economic projections.
Broun, in a statement, "welcomed" Kingston into the camp:
"I've been leading the fight against out-of-control spending and government overreach since I came to Congress in 2007. I welcome all of my colleagues who wish to join me in this effort."
The campaign of former Secretary of State Karen Handel said she would have voted the same way. From Handel campaign manager Corry Bliss:
"Karen would have voted against the Ryan budget because we need significant spending cuts today. The time to address the federal government's out-of-control spending arrived long ago, and our country cannot wait any longer to make serious cuts to federal spending. For that reason, Karen would have voted against this budget which doesn't reduce spending levels now in a meaningful way."
UPDATE 6:52 p.m.: Businessman David Perdue also would have voted against the Ryan budget. According to spokesman Derrick Dickey:
"The primary reason David is running for Senate is to use his business experience to help solve the debt crisis. He would not have voted for the Ryan budget but hopes to have a direct say in budget discussions next year."
The Ryan budget escaped the House with 12 Republicans against it -- a third of them from the Peach State, including Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton -- but will be cast aside by the Senate. Democrats in the upper chamber are not putting out a budget this year, operating under December's two-year budget deal.
Aside from Broun, Gingrey, Kingston and Scott, all of Georgia's Republicans voted for the Ryan budget and all of the state's Democrats were against it -- except Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, who did not vote because he is in Austin at a civil rights summit.
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