Former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio announced Tuesday his plans to run in the Republican primary for outgoing Sen. Jeff Flake's (R) seat, the Washington Examiner reports. An immigration hardliner who took controversial steps including forcing inmates to sleep outdoors in a "Tent City Jail," Arpaio was pardoned by President Trump last summer for criminal contempt stemming from a racial profiling case, where he faced a maximum of six months in jail. A federal judge ultimately ruled that Arpaio is still legally guilty of criminal contempt in October, despite the presidential pardon.
The 85-year-old told NBC News that there is a need for "fresh blood in D.C." and told the Washington Examiner "I have a lot to offer. I'm a big supporter of President Trump." He added that "being a U.S. senator is a little different than being the sheriff, because you can do a lot of things in the U.S. Senate, and I have many plans, believe me."