Matt Salmon Drops Out of Arizona Governor’s Race, Immediately Endorses Karrin Taylor Robson

Former Representative Matt Salmon ended his bid for Arizona governor’s chair in a statement released Tuesday, and less than 24 hours later endorsed Republican candidate Karrin Taylor Robson.

“To the Arizonans who supported my campaign: We may not have won this Republican primary, but our shared values can still emerge victorious if we stand behind a candidate with the temperament and experience to govern Arizona. Karrin Taylor Robson is that candidate,” said Salmon.

He explained his endorsement by citing Robson’s success as a businesswoman, years of service in Arizona, and conservative values involving traditional family values, protecting taxpayers, securing the border, and standing up to the Biden administration. He said he would be putting the full weight of his support into her campaign.

Robson released a statement reacting to the news of the endorsement, expressing that the announcement humbles her.

“Matt Salmon has a long, admirable record of public service and conservative leadership. Like me, Matt is a doer – not just a talker. Kari Lake may have discovered God, Guns and the GOP just in time for her political campaign, but Matt and I have been fighting for decades for the conservative issues that matter: limited government; economic freedom; school choice; border security; and more. In the days and weeks ahead, I look forward to continuing that work with Matt Salmon at my side as we fight to keep Arizona leadership in conservative, steady hands,” said Robson.

Ultimately, Salmon said his reasons for dropping out are his low performance in polls and doing what is best for Arizonan voters.

“Unfortunately, numbers are numbers, and it has become clear to me that the path to a first-place victory is no longer a realistic possibility,” Salmon said. “Republican primary voters deserve more than having their vote split on August 2nd, and so I am leaving this race for the same reason that I entered it: because it is what’s best for the people of Arizona.”

Salmon mentioned how proud he is of the accomplishments made in the past year and thanked all the staff members, volunteers, and activists for making it all possible, calling them the backbone of this state. He further said he would announce his next steps in the coming days.

Robson quickly acknowledged Salmon’s decision in a statement commending him for an honorable campaign.

“Matt Salmon is Arizona through and through, and he and his family have served Arizona tirelessly. Matt has been a leading voice in the conservative movement for decades. I thank him for running an honorable campaign for Governor. Arizona faces big challenges, and I have no doubt Matt will continue to find ways to serve this state he loves,” Robson said.

Salmon’s website now displays a thank-you letter to all his supporters. With his withdrawal from the race, the Republican fight for the governor’s seat essentially comes down to two: Robson and former TV news anchor Kari Lake.

According to a June survey conducted by the Trafalgar Group, which asked if the primary were held today, who would participants vote for, Lake led the pack with 38.5 percent in favor, followed by Robson with 26.7 percent.

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Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Matt Salmon” by Matt Salmon. Photo “Karrin Taylor Robson” by Karrin Taylor Robson. Background Photo “Arizona Capitol” by Wars. CC BY-SA 3.0.

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