From Sheriff Joe to Senator Joe? Arpaio Announces Senate Run

The Arizona Senate race is heating up with the latest announcement that former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is throwing his hat into the ring.

The octogenarian will run in the state primary for the seat vacated by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who is retiring after one term.

According to the Washington Examiner, Arpaio is not concerned about his age and is ready for the challenge.  

"I am outspoken," he said. "I'm looking forward to it. Let them come. They'll have their political firing squads and bring tons of money here because they don't want to lose."

Arpaio, 85, says he will run as a strong Donald Trump supporter, adding, "I just want to do everything I can to support our president."

Over the years, he has been very vocal of his support for the president's stance on immigration policies.  

Arpaio, known as Sheriff Joe, was also known for strictly adhering to immigration policies which some called racial profiling of Latinos.

To his naysayers, he contends that he was simply doing his job: "If you're going to come across that border, you should be arrested and get the consequences of it," he said.

Arpaio, who has been characterized by some as a racist, defied a court order to stop detaining undocumented immigrants.  

He was convicted of criminal contempt and was later pardoned by President Trump.

Arpaio considers the whole matter a political witch hunt by the Obama administration. He denies being a racist and, in fact, says he has a deep love for the Mexican people.
 
"I have a soft spot for the Mexican community," he said, adding his own grandchildren share a mixed heritage.

Arpaio says he understands the concerns of immigrants considering his own Italian background with two parents who came to the U.S. legally for a better life.   

Though he thanked the president for his pardon, Arpaio claims he never asked for it and did not know the president was going to issue his pardon.

As for the future, Sheriff Joe may soon be Sen. Joe and he says he is ready for the challenge.  

"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," he said.