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€