The Washington Examiner reports:
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.
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.
“I have a lot to offer. I’m a big supporter of President Trump,” Arpaio said. “I’m going to have to work hard; you don’t take anything for granted. But I would not being doing this if I thought that I could not win. I’m not here to get my name in the paper, I get that everyday, anyway.”
FWIW I think that the Arpaio run will just be a giant grift, in the way that half of Roy Moore’s campaigns have been.
— Paul Musgrave, LLC for tax purposes (@profmusgrave) January 9, 2018
I am running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Arizona, for one unwavering reason: to support the agenda and policies of President Donald Trump in his mission to Make America Great Again. https://t.co/ANppBdDOtp
— Joe Arpaio (@RealSheriffJoe) January 9, 2018
Democrats after hearing about Joe Arpaio running for Senate: “Please be the nominee, please be the nominee, please be the nominee…” #AZSen pic.twitter.com/kbsiTBb2nr
— Colby Moore (@ColbyLMoore) January 9, 2018
Guys. Kanye is “polarizing yet iconic.” Joe Arpaio is “a racist convicted criminal who resigned in disgrace and had to be pardoned by a racist President to avoid federal prison.” https://t.co/i8k6JDlJkL
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) January 9, 2018
The Arizona Senate race now has its Roy Moore https://t.co/Jyvcdlxhgm
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) January 9, 2018
JUST IN: Joe Arpaio to run for Senate in Arizona: “I would not being doing this if I thought that I could not win” https://t.co/aio7pMh2pt
— Connor Ryan (@connortryan) January 9, 2018
“Being a U.S. senator is a little different than being the sheriff, because you can do a lot of things in the U.S. Senate, and I have many plans, believe me.” https://t.co/Sw4NSM7nkY
— Matt Berman (@Mr_Berman) January 9, 2018