Cruz Campaign Press Release - Small Business Supports Cruz, Simple Flat Tax Plan

HOUSTON, TX – Today, Presidential candidate Ted Cruz announced the creation of the Small Business for Cruz Coalition. The coalition will be led by National Co-Chairs J. Keet Lewis, and Joe and Gladys Grimaud, who also expressed support for Cruz's newly announced tax reform plan, the Simple Flat Tax.

"Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, but in the current environment they are going out of business in record numbers," Cruz said. "We need to empower small business owners and entrepreneurs. Through lower taxes, less onerous regulations, and greater competition, we will unleash their ability to be an engine for growth and innovation. I am pleased to welcome these national and state small business leaders to kick off our Small Business for Cruz coalition."

Lewis is the co-founder of Lewis Group International, a consulting organization for launching innovative products in the health care/wellness, energy, and acoustic sound industries. The Grimauds own 190 Precision Tunes across the country, as well as a number of other businesses.

"Ted Cruz is in a unique position to reach the tens of millions of Small Business Owners in America with a clear, articulate and compelling conservative message," Lewis said. "SBO's represent 99.7 percent of U.S. employer firms and 63 percent of net new private-sector jobs. Ted Cruz grew up in a small business family and can therefore speak from experience to the millions of family-owned business proprietors, many of which are women-owned and/or minority-owned businesses. The Cruz Simple Flat Tax Plan will be a huge benefit to small business owners both in terms of tax rate reduction and reporting simplification."

"Ted Cruz is addressing one of the most important issues to our economy by tackling the tax code," Joe Grimaud said. "As a business man with a number of small corporations in several states, I find that keeping up with tax requirements is one of my biggest obstacles and expenses. With the IRS getting involved with Obamacare enforcement, it has become an even greater nightmare. Ted Cruz knows the Constitution and is not only willing to follow it but insists on doing so. He has shown that he is willing to go where others fear to tread in order to solve problems facing our country. We are in dire need of this kind of leadership."

Sen. Cruz welcomes the following 24 small business leaders in the four early primary states to his Small Business Coalition:

Iowa

Adam Steen

Owner of 25Connections; an Iowa based speaking and consulting firm. Adam's business development efforts over the last 10 years have helped hundreds of businesses across the State of Iowa achieve sustainable and profitable sales growth.

Bill Anderson

Owner of Anderson Professional Services, a family owned tax, bookkeeping and financial services business located on the north side of Sioux City, Iowa. Bill and his wife Angie have owned and operated their business since 2009. In that time they have grown the business 50 percent and added an array of services and products to better serve their clients.

Mick Snieder

Employee of Northwestern Bank in Orange City, Iowa, where he helps customers plan for and pursue their financial goals and dreams.

Chad Steenhoek

Owner of Steenhoek Environmental, a small business specializing in composting yard waste. Chad makes compost products in Central Iowa helping farmers improve their soil and yields.

Pastor Tim Lubinus

Co-owner of a small, multi-family rental property business and the Executive Director of the Baptist Convention of Iowa.

New Hampshire

Former Sen. Fenton Groen

Majority owner of Groen Builders Inc., a company that specializes in energy efficient, custom, commercial and residential construction. Former member of New Hampshire Senate.

Jeffrey Boutin

Owner of JPB Financial.

Karen Goerndt

Owner of Signed Sealed & Delivered Network.

Emily O'Neal

Co-founder of Envallo and Owner of Silver Key Communications, LLC.

Barbara and Rep. Guy Comtois

Owners of Sticks & Stones Farm.

South Carolina

South Carolina State Rep. Bill Chumley

State Representative and citizen legislator, Rep. Chumley has spent most of his life running his family farm.

Jay and Elizabeth Kilmartin

Homeschoolers and owners of two "The Melting Pot" restaurants in South Carolina.

Chip Watson

Owner of Chip Watson Construction.

DeeDee and Bauer Vaughters

Owners of R. Bauers, III, Med, Inc. Together, they are founders of South Carolina Business Owners Association, a group dedicated to lobbying for small business.

Stephen Brown

Owner of the Stephen H. Brown Law Firm, LLC. Stephen is a constitutional conservative activist and former Greenville County Republican Party chairman.

Jarred Spencer

Town council member in Cowpens and part of Spencer Insulation, a family-owned business.

Nevada

Ira Hansen

Assistant Majority floor leader in the Nevada State Assembly. Ira and his family run Ira Hansen and Sons Plumbing.

Jim Wheeler

Nevada State Assembly member, representing Douglas County and part of Lyon County. Former CEO of Powerdyne Automotive Products.

Mendy Elliot

Partner at Capitol Partners LLC, a public affairs firm. Previously, Mendy was the Governor's appointee to the Nevada Business and Industry Department.

Jed Peeler

Founder of General Dental, where he has worked for 33 years.

Dave Schirrack

Owner of Dave Shirrack Co., LLC.

Join the Small Business for Cruz Coalition by going to smallbusinessforcruz.org today!