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Maricopa County
Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is seeking election to a seventh term as
the top lawman for the area around Phoenix, is up against
ex-police chief and three-time opponent Dan Saban and two others
in the Republican primary.
Arpaio, 84, was expected to win despite a judge’s request that
criminal contempt charges be brought against him stemming from a
2007 racial profiling case where he was found to have violated
the constitutional rights of Latino motorists.
The investigation and possible prosecution was turned over to
the U.S. Justice Department last week. It was not clear when a
decision would be made.
Arizona pollster Mike O'Neil predicted that Arpaio would win the
primary even with the possibility of a contempt charge hanging
over him.
O’Neil said the primary is well-suited for Arpaio, with his core
of Republican support, known for turning out in large numbers.
Arpaio, who styles himself as America’s toughest sheriff, said
he expects to prevail at the polls and win against any
prosecution efforts.
But Saban, his main Republican opposition, said it is time to
retire the longtime incumbent after his latest legal troubles.
Saban has called on Arpaio to resign, saying the sheriff has
“soiled his badge” and made himself ineffective as a lawman.
Arpaio, along with three others, could face incarceration and
fines if convicted of any criminal charges. Arpaio and his
second-in-command, Gerard Sheridan, already have been cited and
admitted to civil contempt.
The charges center on unlawful traffic stops and detentions by
deputies of Latino drivers for 18 months after the judge ordered
them to cease.
Opponents also have targeted the profiling lawsuit’s high cost
to the county, which will have spent an estimated $54 million on
the case by next summer.
Also on the Republican primary ballot are Wayne Baker, a retired
deputy sheriff, and Marsha Ann Hill, an ex-sheriff’s volunteer.
The primary winner will go against Democrat Paul Penzone, who is
unopposed in his party's primary. Penzone, a former Phoenix
police officer who is expected to present a tough challenge to
Arpaio in November, lost to the longtime sheriff in 2012 by six
percentage points.
(Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Bill Rigby)
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