In nearly two decades as sheriff in Arizona's most populous county, Joe Arpaio's
carefully crafted reputation for being fearless and tough on crime
helped him coast to victory time and again. But as he seeks a sixth
term, the veteran lawman is running hard to keep his seat.
In TV campaign ads and event appearances, Sheriff Arpaio has been forced to tone down his brashness, fend off accusations of racial discrimination against Latinos, and counter recurring complaints over what critics say were lax investigations of sex crimes against children.
"It's been nasty," admits the Maricopa County sheriff, a Republican.
Long known in Arizona for his penchant to engage in unorthodox law enforcement tactics, such as outfitting inmates in pink underwear, Arpaio was thrust onto the national stage in recent years for his crusade against illegal immigration.
His sweeps in mostly Latino neighborhoods and his unwavering support for the state's divisive immigration law, SB 1070, won him admirers near and far. But it also brought lawsuits from Latinos and the Obama administration over various accusations that included racial profiling.
Arpaio's critics now are training the spotlight on his legal troubles in an effort to persuade voters that it's time for a new sheriff in town.
"This is the toughest race he's had so far," says David Berman, a senior research fellow at Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy.
Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2012/1031/Sheriff-Joe-Arpaio-Have-run-ins-with-Washington-cost-him-votes-at-home
In TV campaign ads and event appearances, Sheriff Arpaio has been forced to tone down his brashness, fend off accusations of racial discrimination against Latinos, and counter recurring complaints over what critics say were lax investigations of sex crimes against children.
"It's been nasty," admits the Maricopa County sheriff, a Republican.
Long known in Arizona for his penchant to engage in unorthodox law enforcement tactics, such as outfitting inmates in pink underwear, Arpaio was thrust onto the national stage in recent years for his crusade against illegal immigration.
His sweeps in mostly Latino neighborhoods and his unwavering support for the state's divisive immigration law, SB 1070, won him admirers near and far. But it also brought lawsuits from Latinos and the Obama administration over various accusations that included racial profiling.
Arpaio's critics now are training the spotlight on his legal troubles in an effort to persuade voters that it's time for a new sheriff in town.
"This is the toughest race he's had so far," says David Berman, a senior research fellow at Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy.
Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2012/1031/Sheriff-Joe-Arpaio-Have-run-ins-with-Washington-cost-him-votes-at-home
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