Matt Salmon Exits Arizona Republican Gubernatorial Primary 

Former Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) announced his exit from Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, roughly one week before early voting began.

According to Salmon, his polling numbers made clear that his path towards a victory is “no longer a realistic possibility.”

Salmon said in a statement:

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. Republican primary voters deserve more than having their votes 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.

With 14.5 percent, Salmon was polling in third place behind Taylor Robson and front-runner Kari Lake, according to Real Clear Politics’ poll average.

Salmon also thanked his campaign staff and volunteers for their “tireless work and heart-felt passion” throughout his year-long campaign.

“I will announce next steps in the coming days, but, for now, I want to reiterate my eternal gratitude for all of the Arizonans who have supported me this year,” Salmon said. “You are the backbone of this beautiful state, and I am eager to continue working with you in defense of freedom.”

I've been blessed with the best supporters in the world – but numbers are numbers, and primary voters deserve more than having their votes split.

So, today, I am ending my #AZGov campaign for the same reason I entered it: Because it is what's best for the people of Arizona → pic.twitter.com/V2MaR10n9r

— Matt Salmon (@MattSalmonAZ) June 28, 2022

Salmon’s run for governor was his second failed attempt at securing a seat as Arizona’s chief executive.

Former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) defeated Salmon by a narrow margin in the state’s 2002 gubernatorial election. After his loss to Napolitano, Salmon returned to politics in 2012, when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives until 2017.

With Salmon out of the race, the election essentially is down to Robson and Lake. Although Scott Neely and Paola Tulliani-Zen are still in the race, their poll numbers are worse than Salmon’s.

Lake, with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, has a 12-point lead over Robson, according to a Trafalgar Group poll released earlier this month.