Matthew James Salmon (born January 21, 1958) is an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from Arizona from 1995 to 2001 and again from 2013 until 2017.

In this position, Salmon oversees the university's local, state and federal relations teams.

[17] That year, he also called for an independent study of the Department of Economic Services' child welfare agency.

[18] Incumbent U.S. Representative Sam Coppersmith, a Democrat, decided to retire after one term in what was then the 1st district in order to run for the U.S. Senate.

[27] In 1999, he unsuccessfully advocated carving Ronald Reagan's face into Mount Rushmore, stating "He's the president that ended the Cold War.

[29] Salmon was instrumental in obtaining the January 29, 2000, release of U.S.-based academic researcher Song Yongyi from detention in China on spying charges.

[34] In the general election, he faced Democratic nominee and Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano, Libertarian nominee Barry Hess, and former Arizona Secretary of State Richard D. Mahoney (who ran as an independent, but was previously a Democrat).

[38] His successor in Congress, Jeff Flake, was giving up the seat to run for the United States Senate.

[54] In 2013, Salmon was one of a few dozen Republicans who attempted to defund the Affordable Care Act by allowing a government shutdown.

[56] He also proposed an amendment to the United States Constitution limiting House members to three terms in office and Senators to two.

[61] Salmon's son led the Arizona Log Cabin Republicans; he left the group to focus on medical school.

[62]Salmon is a fiscal conservative and has often caused rifts and defections in his own party to oppose increasing the deficit.

[65] Salmon signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, stating he would never vote for legislation to increase taxes on Americans.

[68] In 2011, Salmon signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any climate change legislation that would raise taxes.

[69] In June 2021, he declared his candidacy in the 2022 race for Arizona governor, to succeed term limited incumbent Republican Doug Ducey.