Top officials hinge careers on immigration

The Arizona Republic

Gov. Janet Napolitano came closer than ever last week to a full-blown conflict with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio over their differing approaches to illegal immigration. The governor ordered $1.6 million in state money to be redirected from Arpaio’s operations to a state-led task force charged with arresting many of the state’s 60,000 fugitives. Arpaio and other Republican leaders reacted with outrage. Napolitano responded by saying her move wasn’t aimed at the sheriff, but at protecting the public from dangerous felons.

In recent weeks, Napolitano, Arpaio, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and other top state and local officials have offered starkly different views on how to deal with immigration in the Valley. Here’s what several of them stand to gain or lose from the conflicts.

Gov. Janet Napolitano

At stake: Her national reputation as a Democratic Party leader in the fight against illegal immigration.

A report this month by the national Democratic Leadership Council described her as “one progressive leader who has firmly graspedâ€