Joe Arpaio Loses to His Former Deputy in Attempt to Become Sheriff Again

Joe Arpaio, the former Maricopa County sheriff known for his controversial treatment of inmates and undocumented immigrants, lost to his former deputy in his attempt to win back his former job as sheriff.

Arpaio lost the Republican primary by about 6,000 votes to his former chief deputy Jerry Sheridan, CNN reported.

After his loss, Arpaio told The Arizona Republic that “this will be the last time I run for office.”

Arpaio gained national attention for his harsh treatment of Arizona prisoners when he created the infamous outdoor jail called “Tent City” in Phoenix and made inmates work in chain gangs while wearing pink outfits.

In 2018, Arpaio was given a “F” grade for his anti-marijuana views by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) because he “has one of the worst records on cannabis justice in the history of American politics.”

Sheridan will now focus his energy on the November race against the current Maricopa County sheriff, Paul Penzone, who beat Joe Arpaio just a few years ago.

Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CCBY-SA2.0 Modified