Matt Salmon

Republican
Candidate for U.S. House in Congressional District 5
Phone: 480-830-2012
Email: info@salmonforcongress.com
Website: www.salmonforcongress.com
Twitter: @salmoncongress
3740 E Southern Ave, Ste 108, Mesa, AZ 85206.
(Mail: PO Box 1290, Mesa, AZ 85211)
Age: 54. (01/21/58, Salt Lake City, UT).

Arizona since: 1970.

Occupation: Partner, Upstream Consulting, Inc., 2010-2012; government affairs director, Policy Impact Communications, 2009-2010; president, COMPTEL, 2008-2009.

Marital: Married (Nancy).

Children: 4.

Religious preference: LDS.

Education: M.P.A., management, BYU, 1986; B.A., English literature, ASU, 1981.

Political experience: Chair, Arizona Republican Party, 2005-2007; precinct committeeman, Maricopa County Republican Party; U.S. Representative to Congress, 1995-2001

Legis exp: Senate 1991-1995.

Memberships: NRA.

Interests: Mountain biking, golfing, tennis, backpacking, hunting, riding motorcycles, spending time with grandchildren.

Political influence: President Ronald Reagan has been my political idol since I was a young man. In fact, I joined the Republican Party because of his leadership and his vision for America. In my entire career as a public servant, I have tried my best to emulate his polices and his approach to the proper role of government.

Top priority: My top priority will be to balance our nation’s budget and begin paying down our national debt. I have done this before and I am ready to do it again. We are on a path towards fiscal catastrophe and finding a solution for long-term solvency and prosperity should be the number one goal of our nation’s leaders. My second priority will be to repeal every word of Obamacare. More government bureaucracy is never the answer to our problems and neither is any policy that increases deficits and taxes.

Respected opponent: Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut has earned my respect for his courage. I know from personal experience how hard it is to take a stand against the policies of your own party from time to time. Senator Lieberman has shown he is willing to go against his Democrat leadership and do what is right for America, even when it might damage his political career.

Job creation measures: I firmly believe that job creation is not the role of government, but instead the role of the private sector. It is the role of government to advance policies that will encourage private sector businesses to hire more, expand more and invest more. Higher taxes and burdensome regulation not only prohibit job creation and economic growth, but they also force businesses to operate in other countries where taxes are lower and regulations are less stifling. I will support measures that cut taxes across the board – capital gains, corporate, individual, and death taxes – and simplify our regulatory processes so businesses are willing to build more factory plants and hire more workers.

Illegal immigration: Any discussion of illegal immigration must first start with a plan to force the federal government to do its job of securing our international borders. Securing our borders requires wide-ranging and swift action by Congress. I will lead these efforts by advocating for increased funding and training for our border patrol agents, advancing technology for aerial surveillance programs, and ensuring the completion of a wall that stretches the entire border. In addition, I will call for the continued use of National Guard troops to ensure we have the necessary strength to patrol our borders.

Federal deficit: I firmly believe it is the role of the federal government to pass a balanced budget each and every year. Unfortunately, this has not been accomplished since 2001, my last year in Congress. As such, I will advocate for balanced budgets and reduced deficits by proposing two primary measures. First, I will lead the fight to add a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, much like the states contain in their own constitutions. Second, I will propose legislation called the “Pay for Performance Act.” Simply put, it will require members of Congress to take a 20% cut in pay for each year a balanced budget is not passed by both chambers of Congress. If we would never expect to pay someone full price for painting only half a house, why should members of Congress expect to be paid full price for not doing their job?

President Obama’s qualifications: Judging by his dismal record these past three and a half years, I do not believe President Obama had any qualifications to be President of the United States.