Saban trails Arpaio by $350,000 in campaign donations
Saban trails Arpaio by $350,000 in campaign donations
Challenger: Some backers afraid to anger sheriff
7 commentsby JJ Hensley - Jul. 4, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Dan Saban trails Sheriff Joe Arpaio by more than $350,000 in campaign contributions received through the end of May, but the challenger said he isn't worried.
Saban faced a large deficit when he tried to unseat Arpaio in the 2004 Republican primary, and the former Buckeye police chief said he learned a lot from that experience.
"People laughed at me the first few months of my last campaign. They said, 'You have no money, no name.' I said, 'I disagree,' " Saban said. "In the last election, he outraised me 3-to-1, and I still got 44 percent of the vote."
That wasn't enough for Saban to beat Arpaio, the popular incumbent in 2004, but Saban said the experience taught him that a low-key, grass-roots campaign that concentrates on personal contact with the voters can pay dividends.
Arpaio said his campaign depends on voters' approval of the job he does as Maricopa County sheriff.
More than 2,700 supporters have thought enough of the job Arpaio does to donate more than $400,000 to his re-election effort since his campaign began taking contributions in November 2006.
"I think it's arrogant to say I can be re-elected and just go fishing," Arpaio said. "When I run for office, I'm not out there campaigning every day. I do my job, and through my job, people like what I do."
Saban said voters frequently approach him at campaign events and express their support for his positions.
But he said they often admit they're intimidated by the prospect of contributing to his campaign and angering Arpaio.
Arpaio has steadfastly denied any claims that he retaliates against political opponents and those who support their campaigns.
He also ignored Saban's request for a debate between the two candidates, leaving the challenger to host town-hall meetings throughout the Valley to spell out his differences with Arpaio.
Saban plans to campaign at the Independence Day celebration at Tempe Town Lake.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... g0704.html
