The election of Donald Trump to the presidency opened the gates to the underworld in American politics, and now all manner of creatures are slithering up from the bowels of society in search of power. Some of them, like accused serial pedophile Roy Moore, have already been defeated. But for every one knocked down, another rises up.
CNN reports that former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio — infamous for his racist hardline anti-immigration stances — will be running for U.S. Senate. Arpaio was previously convicted of defying a court order, but President Trump, in a much-maligned move, issued a pardon for Arpaio, who is one of his most ardent supporters.
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Arpaio helped push the innately racist “birther” movement, which erroneously claimed that our first black president wasn’t born in the United States. He also regularly engaged in racial profiling.
Now, it appears that Arpaio intends to exploit Trump’s pardon as much as possible by pursuing national power. If he’s successful in his Senate bid, he’ll be able to enforce his xenophobic views not just on Arizona, but on the entire country.
“I have a lot to offer. I’m a big supporter of President Trump. I’m going to have to work hard; you don’t take anything for granted. But I would not being doing this if I thought that I could not win. I’m not here to get my name in the paper, I get that every day, anyway,” Arpaio told The Washington Examiner.
Arpaio is running for Republican Jeff Flake’s seat. Flake announced he wouldn’t be pursuing another term because, in the Trump era, he’d be forced to run a campaign which he wouldn’t believe in. Since his announcement, he’s become a vocal critic of the president.
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Arpaio’s win would signify a major new ally for Trump on the national stage, one who would be almost certain to vote in line with even the most regressive policies of the administration. He can’t be allowed to win.
CNN reports that at this stage, Arpaio seems poised to face establishment choice Representative Martha McSally in the Republican primary, as she’s expected to make a “special announcement” soon. The Republican nominee will go up against Democratic Representative Kyrsten Sinema. Click here to donate to her campaign.
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