Reuters by Andy Sullivan 8/27/2018
Joe Arpaio built a national reputation as a staunch opponent of illegal immigration while sheriff of Arizona’s largest county and found a powerful ally in President Donald Trump, who pardoned him last year after he ran into legal trouble.
But as the self-styled “America’s Toughest Sheriff†hustles for votes in Arizona ahead of Tuesday’s nominating contest for one of the country’s most competitive U.S. Senate races, analysts say his comeback bid is likely to fall short.
Every public opinion poll since June has shown Arpaio, 86, in third place among Republicans seeking the seat held by Republican U.S. Senator Jeff Flake, who is retiring after tangling with Trump over the past two years.
The other two candidates in the race - U.S. Representative Martha McSally and former state Senator Kelli Ward - have largely ignored Arpaio as they focus their attacks on each other. Trump has not endorsed anyone in the race.
“You’ve got a better chance of finding a leprechaun with a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow than you do seeing Joe win this thing,†said Republican pollster Mike Noble.
Republican activists accuse the former sheriff of playing the role of spoiler, splitting the conservative vote and boosting the chances of McSally, the more moderate candidate.
The lack of attention from his opponents and media outlets frustrates Arpaio - as does the spoiler tag, which he calls an insult.
“I’m known around the world,†he said in an interview on Sunday in Lake Havasu City, where he held a rally with about a dozen supporters. “You would think my opponents would go after me every hour on the hour. All they say is: ‘He’s a nice guy.’â€
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-arpaio/americas-toughest-sheriff-joe-arpaio-struggles-in-u-s-senate-bid-idUSKCN1LC0UZ
