PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio is gearing up for what he expects will be the toughest of his five re-election campaigns.
The Maricopa County sheriff is facing a determined effort from immigration rights activists to push him out.
He is also facing a lawsuit that alleges his department violated the civil rights of Hispanics and another suit filed by the Justice Department.
Arpaio has a massive $4.2 million campaign treasury and he remains the favorite in the November election.
In an interview, he was defiant and confident as always, and disagreed that illegal immigration has lost its political punch. He says he gets hundreds of people coming up to him and thanking him.
Arpaio usually easily wins re-election, but he now says he may have a tighter race. He says that's because he has people coming after him. such as the Justice Department.
