Miller Touts Endorsement in 31st Race

Staff for U.S. Rep. Gary Miller on Tuesday touted his endorsement by the Inland Empire Taxpayers Association.

Miller, R-Diamond Bar, currently represents the 42nd Congressional District and he is running for re-election in the redrawn 31st District that includes Redlands and Loma Linda.

"The Inland Empire Taxpayers Association has joined Vice Presidential nominee and taxpayer advocate Paul Ryan in endorsing Congressman Gary Miller for the 31st Congressional District," an announcement from Miller's campaign stated.

The association was founded in 2006 and bills itself as "dedicated to fighting all attempts by local government agencies to raise taxes and pass new bonds."

Inland Empire Taxpayers Association founder Chris Mann was quoted in a statement distributed by Miller's staff.

"Simply, Californians pay the highest tax rates in the country," Mann said. "Those high rates have stifled job creation and suffocated small businesses here in the Inland Empire. Gary Miller knows this first-hand as a longtime business owner and a 14-year veteran in Congress. He co-sponsored the Balanced Budget Amendment and has never voted for a tax increase. He has been, and will remain, one of our best advocates in Congress for taxpayer rights. In Gary Miller, Inland Empire taxpayers have a friend in Washington.”

Miller said he was grateful for the endorsement.

"More importantly I am grateful to have an ally in our fight against powerful Washington special interests," Miller said. "We need to balance our budget and get our economy moving again. The IETA knows that the days of binge borrowing and spending in Washington must come to an end if our nation and the Inland Empire can return to economic prosperity."

Miller is running in the 31st District against state Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga.

Staff for Miller announced his endorsement by Ryan, recently-named running mate of presumed presidential nominee Mitt Romney, a week ago on Aug. 13.

A pdf map of the new 31st Congressional District is attached to this report.

Follow Redlands-Loma Linda Patch on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for the free daily newsletter here.