All nine U.S. House seats are also on the primary ballot, although the Republican battles for the 1st, 4th and 5th districts and the Democratic race for the 2nd district are the tight ones. In early returns, Arpaio had 67 percent of the vote.
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The victor will face Democrat Paul Penzone, a retired Phoenix police officer, in the November 8 election.
Arpaio later said in court filings that he had violated the order unknowingly. There were virtually no lines witnessed at polling places in the Valley.
The Arizona sheriff famous for his tough stance on illegal immigration and keeping jail inmates in tents faces a primary challenge from three fellow Republicans on Tuesday and a hard race for re-election in November.Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is seeking election to a seventh term as the top lawman for the area around Phoenix, is up against ex-police chief and three-time opponent Dan Saban and two others in the Republican primary.Arpaio, 84, was expected to win despite a judge’s request that criminal contempt charges be brought against him stemming from a 2007 racial profiling case where he was found to have violated the constitutional rights of Latino motorists.The investigation and possible prosecution was turned over to the U.S. Justice Department last week.
Trump, who is scheduled to give a speech on immigration on Wednesday in Phoenix, once made light of McCain’s experience as a prisoner of war and McCain stayed away from the Republican National Convention that named Trump as the Republican nominee.
When the Republican presidential ticket pivoted to focus on illegal immigration this summer, Donald Trump pointed to the man who has come to embody the muscular enforcement approach of the 2000s _ massive immigration raids, unremitting warnings about the dangers posed by illegal immigrants and bold public pronouncements about enforcing the rule of law. His main opponent in this race was former Arizona State Senator Kelli Ward. At least on Twitter, McCain appeared unflappable, sharing news articles and posting a note of thanks to those who sent him birthday wishes. Arpaio and three others await a decision from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on whether they will be prosecuted for allegedly flouting court orders in a lawsuit accusing him of racial profiling.
Arpaio beat out three challengers on Tuesday: Former Buckeye Police Chief Dan Saban, retired sheriff’s Deputy Wayne Baker and Marsha Hill, former commander of a sheriff’s volunteer group.
In the 2nd District, Democrats Matt Heinz and Victoria Steele are vying for a chance to go up against incumbent U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, a first-term Republican who won the seat by only 167 votes in 2014.
“I think the people understand that they should not believe everything they hear”, Arpaio told Reuters in a telephone interview. “Everybody seems like they’re going after the sheriff”.
Responding to the possibility of facing criminal contempt charges, he said, “That’s the way it is”.
The polls are now closed in Arizona’s primary election.
Nominations for the Arizona Corporation Commission were too close to call in a race that drew attention, and donations, from groups with vested interests in solar power, according to Arizona Capitol Times. “We’re doing it honestly”. The GOP now holds five seats.
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Bartholomew says troubleshooters stepped in to help open the affected polling places.
