HANGING CHAD: Arpaio Touts New Poll...Done By His Campaign Manager!

The news release from Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's campaign screams "Sheriff Arpaio Has Commanding Lead for Re-Election".  It cites two polls.  The most recent - but, still conducted just before his ad accusing his Democratic opponent Paul Penzone of "hitting a woman" (see, Fact Check) hit the airwaves - was conducted by Summit Consulting Group ("Summit").  The President of Summit is Chad Willems.  The very same Chad Willems who is Arpaio's Campaign Manager.  So much for the appearance of an impartial poll.

The other poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies (which goes by its initials) is an exclusively-Republican outfit.

The polls both showed Arpaio up, 45%-30% and 47%-33%, respectively.  Interestingly, the long-time sheriff's numbers in his two polls bracket the 46% showing in a Penzone-commissioned poll released last week, which Willems dismissed.  (It showed 46.8%-42.1%.)

Beautifully, Willems quotes himself in the news release... as campaign manager.  But, not as pollster.

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