Posted on 01/09/2018 10:07:52 AM PST by Seizethecarp
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.
The 85-year-old Arpaio could shake up the late August Republican primary in a critical open-seat race to replace retiring Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. Trump pardoned Arpaio last summer, sparing the former sheriff jail time after he was convicted of ignoring a federal court order in a racial-profiling case.
The polarizing yet iconic former Maricopa County sheriff, beloved by many conservatives for his hawkish immigration policies, presents an alternative to the unimpressive Kelli Ward and a potential obstacle to Rep. Martha McSally. She is expected to launch within days and is widely viewed as the Republicans’ strongest general election candidate.
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.
“My mother and father came here from Italy, legally of course. I have a soft spot for the Mexican community having lived there,” he said. “I’m not going to get into my personal life, but I will say we have four grandkids and some have a different ethnic and racial background. I don’t say that. I don’t use my grandkids. So, I have a soft spot, but still, I’m going to do my job. You have to do it.”
Even if Arpaio loses the primary to McSally, he would have had seven months to push her to the right and define GOP messaging on a host of issues — and not just in Arizona.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
I don’t know, he’s not really Left of center enough.
At 85 he’s too old also.
I mean we might only get one terms of great voting out of him.
Who would buy off on that with Trump in office?
We do know the RNC, GOPe, McConnell, Ryan, and other Leftists and Lefitst organizations would go after him tooth and nail, and then afterwards tell us, “See!”
Sadly, a whole lot of FReepers would chime in to echo their reasons for blaming the candidate for the loss.
Go Sheriff Joe!!!!
Day one as a Senator, table the Cold Case posse files.
Day two, send out the indictments.
Then spend the next six years watching your political enemies get thrown into Jail!
I agree! Publish the forensic studies proving forgery, Sheriff!
Joe already has baggage.
Jerry Sandusky will be a guest host on "Sesame Street" before Joe Arpaio ever wins an election to a U.S. Senate seat in any state.
Remind me not to get on your bad side :)
Hm?....Ageism, I see.
What, is she as conservative as I am?
So he dies in office. He can be replaced at that time.
It's axiomatic.
Wouldn’t it be wiser to elect somebody likely to live through their term of office int he first place?
You bet, that and I really don't want to hear about Obama's Kenyan birth certificate again. If the Rs can't put forward someone who has to date, bless him, thumbed his nose at the actuarial life table, they will lose the seat.
Came here to say that. He is too damned old.
that sounds accurate (regrettably)
I already got am email from him asking for money.
85+6=91.
5.56mm
Worth it.
No. This was tried in Alabama and the dims now have that seat.
He’ll be 86 when he begins his term. The life expectancy of an 86-year-old male is 5.4 years. Better than even chance he wouldn’t live out his term.
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