King holiday. In the general election, he defeated Democrat Bill Hegarty 60–40%. In 1992, he won re-election to a second term unopposed. Tenure In 1992, he was elected to a new leadership position called assistant majority leader. He served that position until 1995. In 1993, he sponsored legislation that created new drug test programs for employers. That year, he also called for an independent study of the Department of Economic Services' child welfare agency. Committee assignments Senate Appropriations Committee Senate Indian Gambling Committee (Co-chairman) Senate Rules Committee (Chairman) U.S. House of Representatives (1995–2001) Elections 1994 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. Salmon won the Republican primary with a plurality of 39% in a five-candidate field. During his first congressional campaign, term limits were a high-profile issue. Salmon was one of many candidates nationwide who pledged to serve only three terms in Congress. In the general election, he defeated Democratic State Senator Chuck Blanchard, 56%–39%. 1996 He won re-election to a second term with 60% of the vote. 1998 He won re-election to a third term with 65% of the vote. 2000 He honored his campaign pledge (one of many who pledged to do so in the class of `94) and did not seek re-election to a fourth term in 2000. He was then succeeded by Jeff Flake. Tenure During the 1994 congressional election, Salmon signed the Contract with America. In 1999, he unsuccessfully advocated carving Ronald Reagan's face into Mount Rushmore, stating "He's the president that ended the Cold War. You think about 40 years of a major threat, not only to our country but to the world at large, being ended by one man - that's quite an achievement." Salmon's idea garnered support from Reps. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-Md.) and John R. Kasich (R-Ohio). 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. Accomplishments "Watchdog of the Treasury" award six years in a row "Taxpayer Hero" award from Citizens Against Government Waste "Friend of Small Business" award from the National Federation of Independent Business Committee assignments Committee on International Relations Committee on Science Committee on Small Business Committee on Education and the Workforce Inter-congressional years (2001–2011) 2002 gubernatorial election Incumbent Republican Arizona Governor