Thread: Sheriff Joe Considers Run for Senate in Arizona

Sheriff Joe Considers Run for Senate in Arizona

Tuesday, 15 Feb 2011 10:06 AM
By Dan Weil



America’s most famous law enforcement official, Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio, may become more famous soon, as a poll tabs him the front-runner in the race for the U.S. Senate seat of Republican Jon Kyl, who announced his retirement last week. The hardliner against illegal immigration said Monday he was "blown away" by the results and he might run, The Hill reports. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing- ... senate-run

Arpaio is running for a sixth term as sheriff, but that doesn’t preclude him from running for the Senate, he says. "The issue is whether I want to leave this office and go to Washington and try to make a difference there, which I would do if I run and win."

Arpaio says he’s not ready to decide yet. "The door is open right now, but, as I said, I'm campaigning for sheriff and raising that money.â€

'America's toughest sheriff' considering Arizona Senate run

By Daniel Strauss - 02/14/11 07:50 PM ET
Comments 45

Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Monday he is open to the possibility of running for the seat of retiring Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) in 2012.

Arpaio, the conservative sheriff famous for his hard-line anti-immigration stances, made the remarks in light of a poll released Monday by Summit Consulting Group Inc., which is fundraising for Arpaio's reelection campaign for sheriff. The company's Chad Willems is Arpaio's campaign manager.

Arpaio said the deciding factor is neither the money, which he said he could raise, nor his ability to do the job. Rather, he said, it's whether he would be willing to leave his job as sheriff.

Arpaio has served as sheriff for five terms and is currently running for a sixth. But, he said, that doesn't mean he won't run for the Senate.

"The issue is whether I want to leave this office and go to Washington and try to make a difference there, which I would do if I run and win," Arpaio said.

Arpaio said it was a little early to make a final decision.

"The door is open right now but, as I said, I'm campaigning for sheriff and raising that money,â€

When asked the question, “If the Republican primary election for the U.S. Senate seat were held today,
who would you vote for?â€

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chad Willems (602) 235-9320
February 14, 2010
chad@summitgroupnet.com

Arizona Senate Race
Announced and Potential Candidates Line Up

PHOENIX, AZ – A recent survey conducted by Phoenix-based Summit Consulting Group, Inc. shows a very tight race for the Republican nomination among candidates rumored to be interested in replacing Senator Jon Kyl. An automated survey conducted February 10th among 1,881 likely Republican primary election voters shows the following:

When asked the question, “If the Republican primary election for the U.S. Senate seat were held today, who would you vote for?â€