Sheriff Joe Arpaio Is Running for Senate in Arizona

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joe arpaio senate
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 21: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gestures to the crowd as he delivers a speech on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

It’s official!

Joe Arpaio, the controversial tough-on-immigration sheriff of Maricopa County, is running for Senate in the state of Arizona. Arpaio will specifically be running for the seat being vacated by turncoat Republican Jeff Flake, who wrote withering attack on President Trump in the form of a book earlier this year.

The news was broken exclusively by David Drucker of the Washington Examiner. Drucker writes, “Republican Joe Arpaio, a close ally of President Trump and former sheriff known for his provocative approach to combatting illegal immigration, is running for Senate in Arizona.”

More from the scoop:

In a telephone interview with the Washington Examiner, Arpaio shrugged off concerns about his age, dismissed Republican insiders’ anxiety that his poor reputation with nonwhite voters would put the seat in play for the Democrats in the midterm, and discussed plans to work with Trump on behalf of Arizona.

Arpaio’s announcement is going to shake up the Senate race. Currently, the most viable Republican candidate for Flake’s seat is State Senator Kelli Ward, who unsuccessfully challenged John McCain in a primary election last year.

Besides being a hawk on immigration, Arpaio is an ally of President Trump, and endorsed him early on during 2016’s presidential primaries. Arpaio told Drucker, “I’m going to have to work hard; you don’t take anything for granted. But I would not being doing this if I thought that I could not win. I’m not here to get my name in the paper, I get that everyday, anyway.”

Earlier this year, Arpaio received President Trump’s first presidential pardon. The former sheriff was facing a charge of criminal contempt for ignoring a judge’s orders, which could have resulted in 6 months of jail time.

If Sheriff Joe runs and wins the Arizona Senate seat, he’ll be a key ally of Trump’s in the congressional chamber.

What do you think of Sheriff Joe’s announcement? Tell us your thoughts below and share this exciting news over Facebook now!

By Jim E

Jim E. is a true political insider, with experience working both in Washington and outside in real America. Jim... More about Jim E

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