the more signatures he's collected, the more his influence has grown. &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt; i think to win a republican primary, it is difficult to imagine somebody winning a primary without taking the pledge. &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt; the signatories not only include more than 270 members of congress, but all of the republican presidential candidates with the lone exception of jon huntsman. &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt; okay, folks, we want to get going. &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt; all that leverage has made norquist's wednesday breakfast meetings a must attend event for republican operatives fortunate enough to get an invitation.