Arpaio 2016 Fundraising Machine Leaves Arizona's Congressional Incumbents In The Dust For Early 2014 Numbers; Constant Flirting With Governor Run Cranks People Up

(UPDATED, 5pm: Arizona's Politics updates this article - and, others - here, and at the bottom of this article.)

Last year, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio used the attempted recall effort to help raise $3.5M for his campaign.  This year, his constant flirting with running for Governor and a steady stream of (sometimes-contradictory) emails have kept the donations coming.  Arpaio raised $676,000 since January 1, and he is using it to justify his continued flirtation.

The $676,000 - even if pro-rated to match Congressional candidates three-month reporting period - easily tops Reps. Ron Barber, Kyrsten Sinema and Barber-challenger Martha McSally (who each raised between $419,000-442,000).

The sixth-term Sheriff sent out a news release today touting the numbers, and quoting the Sheriff as saying "Now I know for sure that I would have the financial backing to be competitive in this year’s race for Governor. I will be taking the next two weeks to determine if I am going to run. I know I will need the time to collect the requisite number of signatures to qualify for the ballot, but I believe that can be done rather quickly."

In mid-March, Arpaio promised Newsmax that he would release a position paper the next week describing what he would do if he was elected to replace Jan Brewer in the Governor's Office.  No such paper was released.

The deadline to turn in nominating petitions is May 28.  Republican candidates Christine Jones and Doug Ducey have already hit the TV airwaves to introduce themselves to voters.

(UPDATE, 5pm: Sheriff Arpaio's campaign manager (Chad Willems) and his MCSO Communications Department (Lt. Brandon Jones) are each pointing at the other guy.  Arizona's Politics asked Willems for the "position paper" that the Sheriff had said he would release in March detailing what he would do if he was Arizona's Governor.  Willems replied that it would have to be retrieved from the MCSO.  Jones suggested it was "political" and therefore, he could not respond.  The only reasonable conclusion is that no such "position paper" exists.)

  Press Release_Arpaio Raises over $4 million (1)

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