Joe Arpaio running for Senate in Arizona

Washington Examiner ^ | January 9, 2018 | David M. Drucker

[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.

[jospehm20]

I suspect that number you cited probably does not figure in the strain of an 85 heard old running for the US Senate in the first place. I would be surprised to see him make it to January 2019 if he really tries.

[Jane Long]

How old was Strom when he had to be wheeled in, for his last Senate appearance?

At least we know he won’t become a long-term, career politicians. :-)

[Brown Deer]

Senate Years of Service: 1927-1969
Party: Democrat

Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office

HAYDEN, Carl Trumbull, a Representative and a Senator from Arizona; born in Hayden’s Ferry (now Tempe), Maricopa County, Ariz., October 2, 1877; attended the public schools; graduated from the Normal School of Arizona at Tempe in 1896; attended Leland Stanford Junior University, California 1896-1900; engaged in mercantile pursuits and in the flour-milling business at Tempe 1900-1904; member, Tempe Town Council 1902-1904; treasurer of Maricopa County 1904-1906; sheriff of Maricopa County 1907-1912; upon the admission of Arizona as a State into the Union was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-second Congress; reelected to the seven succeeding Congresses and served from February 19, 1912, to March 3, 1927; did not seek renomination, having become a candidate for United States Senator; during the First World War was commissioned a major of Infantry in the United States Army; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1926 for the term commencing March 4, 1927; reelected in 1932, 1938, 1944, 1950, 1956, and again in 1962 for the term ending January 3, 1969; was not a candidate in 1968 for reelection to the United States Senate; served as President pro tempore of the Senate during the Eighty-fifth through the Ninetieth Congresses; chairman, Committee on Printing (Seventy-third through Seventy-ninth Congresses), Committee on Rules and Administration (Eighty-first and Eighty-second Congresses), co-chairman, Joint Committee on Printing (Eighty-first and Eighty-second, and Eighty-fourth through Ninetieth Congresses), co-chairman, Joint Committee on Inaugural Arrangements (Eightieth and Eighty-second Congresses), chairman, Committee on Appropriations (Eighty-fourth through Ninetieth Congresses); his record for fifty-six consecutive years of service in the Congress, including an unprecedented forty-two in the Senate, was unsurpassed at the time of his retirement; retired and resided in Tempe, Ariz.; died in Mesa, Ariz., January 25, 1972; cremated; ashes interred in family plot at Tempe Butte Cemetery, Tempe, Ariz.

BibliographyAmerican National Biography; Dictionary of American Biography; August, Jack L., Jr. Vision in the Desert: Carl Hayden and Hydropolitics in the American Southwest. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University Press, 1998; Rice, Ross R. Carl Hayden: Builder of the American West. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1994;

[Brown Deer]

[editor-surveyor]

.
You need not worry!
.

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> “Sadly, a whole lot of FReepers would chime in to echo their reasons for blaming the candidate for the loss.” <<

Yep!

We swim with the enemy here daily!
.

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> “Wouldn’t it be wiser to elect somebody likely to live through their term of office int he first place?” <<

Sadly we don’t have anyone that is so rock solid on the issues.
.

[bitt]

UMMM... 84? aaahhh.....

[jospehm20]

I find it hard to believe that out of 6 million plus people there isn’t anybody under 80 who would make a good Senator there.

[ptsal]

Fracturing the vote....
....now what, Joe?

[editor-surveyor]

.
There are moderately good candidates, but none that are as morally strong as Joe.
.

[DoughtyOne]

Fraid so...

[af_vet_1981]

Not one penny ...

[Republican Wildcat]

An 85 year old running to be a freshman Senator for a 6 year term? That does not make practical sense strategically, nor personally for him. His age would be an automatic -5% in his vote ceiling and in what could be a very close race and that is not something we need.

[Republican Wildcat]

His age probably lowers his vote ceiling to make it impossible for him to win in a close election. Moreover, your flippant comment that he could just be “replaced” doesn’t make sense as you can’t guarantee a Republican governor would be in place when and if that event were to occur. Things like the Supreme Court are too important to play games with.

[donna]

Out of state money will pick Arizona's senator just like it did with McCain and whats-his-name.

[Hildy]

I don’t know you, but if you are solid, true, card carrying conservative then yes, she is.