Arizona's Joe Arpaio Reelected, Wants to Meet with Latinos

Arizona's Joe Arpaio Reelected, Wants to Meet with Latinos
Published: 09 Nov, 2012
1 min read

Joe Arpaio is known as the “Toughest Sheriff in America" for his hard stance on crime and undocumented immigrants in Maricopa County, Arizona. He has been investigated by the US Department of Justice for discrimination and supposed misconduct, although he denies the accusations.

Joe Arpaio, 80, has been serving as sheriff of Maricopa County for over two decades. Arpaio, a Republican, was reelected to a sixth term on Tuesday, although there are still ballots to be counted. (Challenger Democrat Paul Penzone already conceded defeat, with Arpaio carrying 53 percent of the vote). Arpaio raised over $8.5 million for his campaign, compared with Penzone’s $530,000. Arpaio’s funds were donated from all over the country despite his designation over Maricopa County alone.

After a tumultuous and very tense relationship with Latinos in the county, the sherrif-elect is looking to reach out to the community. CNN reported that the sheriff, addressing a crowd after his reelection, announced,

"I would hope to get together with the Latino community, if I could ever have them talk to me without screaming and threatening me. So I hope to get together with the community and try to explain what we do."

Immigration advocacy activists who campaigned against Arpaio believe there is still hope in defeating the sheriff. As of Thursday morning, there were still hundreds of thousands of early voter and provisional ballots to be accounted for in Maricopa County, according to the Secretary of State.

Once official, the controversial sheriff has a lot to prove to the community. Between mistrust in the Latino community and federal investigations, he will be closely watched in his new term.

Arpaio has no intention of leaving public service anytime soon, despite his advanced age. He is looking to run again in 2016.

You Might Also Like

Why Neither Side Wants the Truth About Voter ID
Why Neither Side Wants the Truth About Voter ID
Voter ID is treated like a five-alarm fire in American politics. That reaction says more about our dysfunctional political system than it does about voter ID itself. ...
06 Feb, 2026
-
3 min read
Oklahoma Independents Drive Massive Push to Open Primaries With State Question 836
Oklahoma Independents Drive Massive Push to Open Primaries With State Question 836
While much of the U.S. was slammed with severe winter weather over the weekend, volunteers for Oklahoma State Question 836 – which would end the use of taxpayer-funded closed primaries – made a final push to get their campaign to over 200,000 petition signatures....
27 Jan, 2026
-
3 min read
NEW POLL: California Governor’s Race Sees “None of the Above” Beat the Entire Democratic Field
NEW POLL: California Governor’s Race Sees “None of the Above” Beat the Entire Democratic Field
A new statewide poll conducted by the Independent Voter Project finds California’s independent voters overwhelmingly support the state’s nonpartisan primary system and express broad dissatisfaction with the direction of state politics....
12 Jan, 2026
-
4 min read