Barr picks up Arpaio endorsement, blasts GOP immigration blueprint
Republican congressional hopeful Bob Barr picked up the endorsement of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Thursday and criticized a key part of the House GOP blueprint for overhauling the nation’s immigration laws.
“Nicknamed “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” Arpaio is a polarizing figure because of his aggressive efforts to crack down on illegal immigration in Arizona’s Maricopa County. Arpaio stood by Barr’s side at a news conference in Marietta Thursday, just hours before the sheriff was to speak at a campaign fundraiser for the former congressman and former federal prosecutor.
“He was a great U.S. attorney, a great congressman,” Arpaio said. “That is why I am here to help him.”
A former Libertarian presidential candidate, Barr is competing in a crowded Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey in Georgia’s 11th congressional district. Barr called Arpaio an “international spokesman for good, solid, tough law enforcement.”
About the Author
Jeremy Redmon is an award-winning journalist, essayist and educator with more than three decades of experience reporting for newspapers. He has written for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2005.
