Carnahan Flips on Bush Tax Cuts. Now Favors Extension

Missouri Democratic Senate candidate Robin Carnahan has switched her position on extending the Bush Tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

Thursday Carnahan said the economy has not improved enough yet to merit letting the cuts expire. Earlier in the campaign she said she was in favor of letting the cuts end as scheduled.

This is the StL P-D story on her switch:

Democrat Robin Carnahan broke from the Obama Administration this morning and told reporters that she supported extending all of the Bush tax cuts that are expected to expire at the end of the year.

President Barack Obama and many Democratic leaders have proposed extending some of the middle class cuts, but letting those on the wealthiest Americans expire, thus reducing the federal deficit.

Carnahan, who is running for U.S. Senate against Republican Roy Blunt, formerly held that position as well, but this morning she said she supports extending “all” of the cuts.

“Now is not the time to raise taxes,” Carnahan said.

Blunt also supports extending the tax cuts. But his campaign was quick to point out this morning Carnahan’s change of position, providing the Political Fix a transcript from a Carnahan interview on St. Louis radio station 97.1 with Jamie Allman:

ALLMAN: So you would vote against extending the tax cuts, I mean a lot of Democrats right now in Washington say they will vote for extension of the Bush Tax Cuts. You would not?

CARNAHAN: I’m in favor of the middle class tax cuts, I’m not in favor of extending the tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans, I don’t think it makes any sense and I don’t think we can afford it.