Tucson attorney John Munger has given up his pursuit of the governor's office.
The statement from Munger:
“The Supreme Court’s decision to leave in place the “matching funds” provision of Arizona’s so-called Clean Elections law presents an insurmountable obstacle to my campaign for Governor. As I have previously stated publicly and in legal filings, these dollar-for-dollar taxpayer matching funds create an unequal playing field by discouraging financial contributions to traditionally-funded candidates.
“Given the virtual impossibility of raising the necessary funds to compete against taxpayer-funded campaigns under this scenario, I have no choice but to officially withdraw from the race for Governor. I am eternally grateful to the many people who did pledge their financial support, embraced my ideas, and worked tirelessly for my campaign. At the present time, I am not endorsing another candidate in this race.
“It is regrettable that in these difficult economic times when the State cannot pay for teachers and other critical needs, candidates are using taxpayer funds to finance re-election campaigns. I am hopeful that ultimately, the High Court will move to dismantle Arizona’s Clean Elections law, allowing for a system with a truly level playing field for all candidates.
