Matt Salmon

Matt Salmon

Republican Party

Prior offices

Arizona State Senate

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U.S. House Arizona District 1

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U.S. House Arizona District 5

Successor: Andy Biggs

Predecessor: David Schweikert

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Compensation

Net worth

(2012) $257,502

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 2, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Arizona

Graduate

Brigham Young University

Personal

Religion

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)

Profession

Consultant

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

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Matt Salmon (Republican Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing Arizona's 5th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2013. He left office on January 3, 2017.

Salmon (Republican Party) ran for election for Governor of Arizona. He lost in the Republican primary on August 2, 2022. Salmon unofficially withdrew from the race but appeared on the primary election ballot on August 2, 2022.

Salmon began his political career by serving in the Arizona State Senate from 1990 to 1994. He then served in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2001.

Biography

Salmon is a Salt Lake City, Utah, native, although his father's job at Mountain Bell Telephone took the family through New Mexico, and eventually, Arizona. When Salmon graduated from his high school in Mesa, he was president of the student body. After high school, Salmon spent two years on a Mormon mission in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Salmon learned to speak Mandarin. Upon his return to the United States, Salmon enrolled at Arizona State University. He received his bachelor's degree in 1981 and his M.P.A. from Brigham Young University in 1986.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Salmon's professional and political career:

• 2013-2017: U.S. Representative from Arizona's 5th Congressional District
• 2008-2009: President of COMPTEL
• 2005-2007: Lobbyist for Greenberg Traurig
• 2004-2007: Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party
• 2003-2017: President of the Upstream Consulting
• 1995-2001: U.S. House of Representatives
  • 1993-1995: Assistant majority leader
• 1991-1995: Arizona State Senate
• 1981-1994: Public Affairs Manager for telecommunications company US West

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2015-2016

Salmon served on the following committees:

• Education and the Workforce Committee
  • Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
• Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
  • Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere

2013-2014

Salmon served on the following committees:

• Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Chairman
  • Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
• Education and the Workforce Committee
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training

Key votes

114th Congress

The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Salmon's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.

Economic and fiscal

Trade Act of 2015

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

Trade act procedural motion
On June 11, 2015, 34 House Republicans voted against a procedural motion to open up debate on a Senate amendment to the Trade Act of 2015, the primary bill associated with the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The White House and GOP leadership supported the motion, as well as the TPP, while most House Democrats opposed it. The rule passed 217 to 202, but Speaker John Boehner (R) openly expressed his disapproval of the House Republicans who voted against it, telling reporters shortly afterwards, "I made it clear to members today I am not happy about it." Several of these Republicans lost leadership positions in the weeks following the vote, causing some to see a connection between the demotions and the vote against the procedural motion. Salmon was one of 34 Republicans to vote against the procedural motion.
Trade adjustment assistance
On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Salmon was one of 158 Republicans to vote against TAA.
Trade promotion authority
On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Salmon was one of 191 Republicans to support the measure.
Trade promotion authority second vote
After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining their original positions on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Salmon was one of 190 Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment.
Trade adjustment assistance second vote
The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Salmon was one of 132 Republicans to vote against HR 1295.

Defense spending authorization

On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Salmon voted with 227 other Republicans and 41 Democrats to approve the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.

On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Salmon voted with 234 other Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.

2016 Budget proposal

On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, voted against the resolution. Salmon voted with 225 other Republicans to approve the bill.

2015 budget

On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Salmon voted with 166 Republicans against the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs

Iran nuclear deal

See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Salmon voted with 222 other Republican representatives to approve the bill.

Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Salmon voted with 243 Republicans and 25 Democrats against the bill.

Suspension of Iran sanctions relief
On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Salmon voted with 244 Republicans and two Democrats for the bill.

Presidential non-compliance of section 2
On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Salmon voted with 244 Republicans for the resolution.

Export-Import Bank

On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Salmon voted with 126 Republicans and 186 Democrats in favor of the bill.

Domestic

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015

On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Salmon voted with 46 Republicans and 41 Democrats against the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Salmon voted with 237 Republicans in favor of the bill.

Cyber security

On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Salmon voted with 18 Republicans and 44 Democrats against the bill.

On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Salmon voted with 36 Republicans and 79 Democrats against the bill.

Immigration

On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Salmon voted with 241 Republicans and 47 Democrats in favor of the bill.

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Salmon's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.

National security

NDAA

Salmon voted against HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.

DHS Appropriations

Salmon voted for HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 that was largely along party lines.

CISPA (2013)

Salmon voted for HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.

Economy

Farm bill

On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. It also cut the food stamp program an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Salmon voted with 62 other Republican representatives against the bill.

2014 Budget

On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency and protected the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Salmon joined with the 63 other Republicans and 3 Democrats who voted against the bill.

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Salmon voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.

The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Salmon voted against HR 2775.

2013 Farm Bill

In July 2013 the Republican controlled House narrowly passed a scaled-back version of the farm bill after stripping out the popular food-stamp program. The bill passed on a 216-208 vote, with no Democrats voting in favor. All but 12 Republicans supported the measure. The group consisted mostly of conservative lawmakers more concerned about spending than farm subsidies. Salmon was one of the 12 who voted against the measure.

The farm bill historically has included both billions in farm subsidies and billions in food stamps. Including both of the two massive programs has in the past helped win support from rural-state lawmakers and those representing big cities. After the bill failed in the House in June 2013 amid opposition from rank-and-file Republicans, House leaders removed the food stamp portion in a bid to attract conservative support.

Federal Pay Adjustment Act

Salmon voted for HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill called for stopping a 0.5 percent pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect. The raises were projected to cost $11 billion over 10 years.

Immigration

Morton Memos Prohibition

Salmon voted for House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines.

Healthcare

Healthcare Reform Rules

Salmon voted for House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires that all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.

Social issues

Abortion

Salmon voted for HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196 that largely followed party lines. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.

Government affairs

HR 676

See also: Boehner's lawsuit against the Obama administration

On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit. Salmon joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.

Elections

2022

See also: Arizona gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Arizona

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Arizona on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Katie Hobbs (D)	50.3	1,287,891
		Kari Lake (R)	49.6	1,270,774
		Liana West (G) (Write-in)	0.0	254
		Mikaela Lutes-Burton (L) (Write-in)	0.0	213
		William Pounds (Independent-Green Party) (Write-in)	0.0	139
		Steph Denny (R) (Write-in)	0.0	74
		Alice Novoa (R) (Write-in)	0.0	55
		Rayshawn Merrill (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	44
		Anthony Camboni (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	41

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,559,485
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Barry J. Hess (L)
• Alex Sadowski (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Arizona

Katie Hobbs defeated Marco Lopez and Aaron Lieberman (Unofficially withdrew) in the Democratic primary for Governor of Arizona on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Katie Hobbs	72.3	431,059
		Marco Lopez	22.8	136,090
		Aaron Lieberman (Unofficially withdrew)	4.8	28,878

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 596,027
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Arizona

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Arizona on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kari Lake	48.0	398,860
		Karrin Taylor Robson	43.1	358,682
		Matt Salmon (Unofficially withdrew)	3.7	30,704
		Scott Neely	3.1	25,876
		Paola Tulliani-Zen	2.1	17,281
		Carlos Roldan (Write-in)	0.0	42
		Alex Schatz (Write-in)	0.0	39
		Patrick Finerd (Write-in)	0.0	24

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 831,508
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Steve Gaynor (R)
• Kimberly Yee (R)
• Frank Konarski (R)

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Governor of Arizona

Barry J. Hess advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of Arizona on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Barry J. Hess (Write-in)	100.0	550

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 550
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Steve Remus (L)

2016

See also: Arizona's 5th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Matt Salmon (R) did not seek re-election in 2016. Andy Biggs (R) defeated Talia Fuentes (D) and Nolan Daniels (L write-in) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Fuentes defeated Kinsey Remaklus in the Democratic primary, while Biggs defeated Justin Olson, Don Stapley, and Christine Jones to win the Republican nomination. The primary elections took place on August 30, 2016.

U.S. House, Arizona District 5 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Andy Biggs	64.1%	205,184
	Democratic	Talia Fuentes	35.9%	114,940
Total Votes				320,124
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

U.S. House, Arizona District 5 Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Andy Biggs	29.5%	25,240
Christine Jones	29.5%	25,224
Don Stapley	20.7%	17,745
Justin Olson	20.3%	17,386
Total Votes		85,595
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

U.S. House, Arizona District 5 Democratic Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Talia Fuentes	64%	15,408
Kinsey Remaklus	36%	8,663
Total Votes		24,071
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

2014

See also: Arizona's 5th Congressional District elections, 2014

Salmon won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 26, 2014. He then defeated James Woods (D) in the November general election.

U.S. House, Arizona District 5 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Matt Salmon Incumbent	69.6%	124,867
	Democratic	James Woods	30.4%	54,596
Total Votes				179,463
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Endorsements

• FreedomWorks endorsed Salmon on March 17, 2014.

2012

See also: Arizona's 5th Congressional District elections, 2012

Salmon won election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Arizona's 5th District. He defeated Kirk Adams in the Republican primary on August 28, 2012. He then overtook Morgan Spencer (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, Arizona District 5 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Matt Salmon	67.2%	183,470
	Democratic	Spencer Morgan	32.8%	89,589
Total Votes				273,059
Source: Arizona Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

U.S. House, Arizona District 5 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Matt Salmon	51.8%	41,076
Kirk Adams	48.2%	38,152
Total Votes		79,228

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Matt Salmon did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Salmon's campaign website listed the following issues:

“	Energy Independence: "When addressing our nation's energy needs, I have and will continue to advance an "all-of-the-above" solution. I believe it is critical that we, as a nation, take a diversified, market-based approach to meet our energy demands and create an energy independent America." Fiscal Responsibility: "Getting our nation's financial house in order must be a top priority for all members of Congress. With our national debt approaching $18 trillion, it is critical that we make serious and immediate changes to how Washington spends our money." Growing Economy & Jobs: "As our economy continues to struggle and millions continue to look for employment, I remain committed to removing the shackles that government places on free enterprise and entrepreneurship." Border Security: "We are a nation of immigrants and a nation that respects the rule of law. That is why we cannot reward law breakers at the expense of those who have been waiting patiently in the proper legal channels for citizenship in our great country." Second Amendment: "The Second Amendment exists as a bulwark against those who would deprive the American citizen of his life, his liberty, or his property. This is the essence of the Second Amendment."	”
—Matt Salmon's campaign website, http://salmonforcongress.com/on-the-issues/

2012

Salmon's campaign website listed the following issues:

• Fiscal Responsibility

Excerpt: "America's economy is facing daunting challenges. For over a decade, Washington politicians have failed to live within their means, turning a budget surplus of over $230 billion into a $1.6 trillion deficit."

• Growth & Prosperity

Excerpt: "For too long, Washington politicians have stymied economic growth with policies that have increased taxes and regulation on businesses and job creators. These policies have resulted in a national debt that is now over $15 trillion, an unemployment rate that remains above 9% and damaging levels of uncertainty within our financial system."

• Securing Our Borders

Excerpt: "It is the duty of our federal government to protect and secure our national borders. Yet, as the constant threat of terrorism and increased drug cartel violence intensifies, millions of unidentified persons continue to cross our borders illegally, posing grave risks to the sovereignty of the United States and the security of its people."

• Healthcare Reform

Excerpt: "As our deficit and national debt figures continue to explode at alarming rates, so too do health care costs. Despite having some of the finest physicians, hospitals and medical centers in the world, America remains a nation with too many of its citizens unable to access affordable health care or who choose to forgo health insurance all together."

• Educating Our Future

Excerpt: "In a world where global economic competition is rapidly increasing, providing a top-level education for our children is more vital than ever. However, despite spending more money on education than any other nation in the world, America's public school system does not perform at the top of global education rankings."

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Matt Salmon campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2022	Governor of Arizona	Lost primary	$1,760,669	$1,770,315
2014	U.S. House (Arizona, District 5)	Won	$934,783	N/A**
2012	U.S. House Arizona District 5	Won	$1,272,757	N/A**
Grand total			$3,968,209	$1,770,315
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Salmon's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $165,004 and $350,000. That averages to $257,502, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican representatives in 2012 of $7,614,097.96. Salmon ranked as the 327th most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2011 and 2012, Salmon's calculated net worth increased by an average of 50 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Matt Salmon Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2011	$171,478
2012	$257,502
Growth from 2011 to 2012:	50%
Average annual growth:	50%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Salmon received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Real Estate industry.

From 1993-2014, 19.86 percent of Salmon's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Matt Salmon Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$3,504,165
Total Spent	$2,971,722
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Real Estate	$176,115
Health Professionals	$154,274
Retired	$139,401
Lawyers/Law Firms	$131,434
Republican/Conservative	$94,626
% total in top industry	5.03%
% total in top two industries	9.43%
% total in top five industries	19.86%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Salmon was a rank-and-file Republican as of July 2014. In June 2013, Salmon was rated as a "centrist Republican follower."

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Salmon most often voted with:

• Ron DeSantis
• Jim Matheson

Salmon least often voted with:

• Chris Gibson
• Mark Pocan

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Salmon missed 182 of 5,450 roll call votes from January 1995 to September 2015. This amounted to 3.3 percent, which was higher than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Salmon ranked 95th in the conservative rankings in 2013.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Salmon voted with the Republican Party 92.5 percent of the time, which ranked 176th among the 234 House Republican members as of July 2014.

2013

Salmon voted with the Republican Party 93.7 percent of the time, which ranked 197th among the 233 House Republican members as of June 2013. The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Salmon has voted with the Republican Party 93.7% of the time. This ranked 197th among the 233 House Republicans as of June 2013.

2016 Republican National Convention

See also: Republican National Convention, 2016

Salmon was a district-level delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from Arizona. He was bound to support Donald Trump for one ballot.

Delegate rules

See also: RNC delegate guidelines from Arizona, 2016 and Republican delegates from Arizona, 2016

In Arizona, district-level and at-large delegates were selected at the Arizona Republican State Convention. Under state law, these delegates were required to vote on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention for the winner of the statewide primary.

Arizona primary results

See also: Presidential election in Arizona, 2016

Arizona Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes	Delegates
Jeb Bush	0.7%	4,393	0
Ben Carson	2.4%	14,940	0
Chris Christie	0.2%	988	0
Tim Cook	0%	243	0
Ted Cruz	27.6%	172,294	0
Carly Fiorina	0.2%	1,270	0
Lindsey Graham	0.1%	498	0
Mike Huckabee	0.2%	1,300	0
John Kasich	10.6%	65,965	0
George Pataki	0%	309	0
Rand Paul	0.4%	2,269	0
Marco Rubio	11.6%	72,304	0
Rick Santorum	0.1%	523	0
Donald Trump	45.9%	286,743	58
Totals		624,039	58
Source: The New York Times and Arizona Secretary of State

Delegate allocation

See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules

Arizona had 58 delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Of this total, 27 were district-level delegates (three for each of the state's nine congressional districts). Arizona's district delegates were allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the candidate who won the plurality of the statewide vote received all of the state's district delegates.

Of the remaining 31 delegates, 28 served at large. At-large delegates were also allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the candidate who won the plurality of the statewide vote received all of the state's at-large delegates. In addition, three national party leaders (identified on the chart below as RNC delegates) served as bound delegates to the Republican National Convention. The RNC delegates were required to pledge their support to the winner of the state's primary.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Salmon and his wife, Nancy, have four children.

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by David Schweikert	U.S. House, Arizona, District 5 2013-2017	Succeeded by Andy Biggs (R)