I wrote last week about the surge of candidate pledges and the irritation Republicans were starting to feel towards them. Politico published another story on this yesterday.

And then, today:

Joining five other Republican presidential candidates, Romney said he would support the ”Cut, Cap and Balance Pledge.” The pledge, which has been pushed by a wide range of conservative groups, urges Congress to oppose debt limit increases unless it includes: “substanital cuts” in spending; spending caps that would put limits on the federal budget; and passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.

As long as there are candidates who want to hack out advantages with interest groups, there will be pledges. The CCB pledge is now, proportionately, more popular among declared presidential candidates than it is among members of Congress. Presidential candidates don't actually have to abide by it and cast votes; they just have to endorse it.