Primary ballots are in!

I received it on 7/5.

There aren't many races on the Democratic side.  As you can see. :)

The big one on my ballot is the six-way race in CD1 for a chance to take on Republican David Schweikert in the general election.

Being a former Republican isn't a dealbreaker for me (the Republican Party has gotten so extreme [and anti-society] that any member of the GOP who's even within sniffing distance of being a decent human being has left it.)

Being a former supporter of Jan Brewer isn't quite a dealbreaker, either.  Much closer, though.  She was a profoundly lousy governor.

Being someone who voted for Cheeto *is* a dealbreaker, though.  He was and is a profoundly lousy human being and anyone who wants to be a member of Congress should be smart enough to see that.  And decent enough to be bothered by that.

Having said all of that, I will vote for a candidate in the primary, Kurt Kroemer.

On the other hand, I fully expect that whichever candidate emerges victorious from the primary will run as R-lite in the general.

Bottom line: we don't need a second iteration of Kyrsten Sinema in D.C. and I won't hold my nose when I vote, ever again.  I won't vote for Schweikert, but I may skip the race entirely.

Also, I expect that the candidate and certain party officers to be simply aghast to see an R-lite candidate lose to an R.  Yet again.

In the LD8 primary for state representative, I'll be voting for Juan Mendez and Brian Garcia.  

I've known Mendez for years and supported him in previous runs for office and he's done a good job in those offices.  I'm happy to vote for him again.

As for Garcia, I've never met him, but while I'm not a fan of endorsements, he's been endorsed by someone I respect greatly.

In the race for Arizona Corporation Commission, I have no opinion.  Three people, Joshua Polacheck, Ylenia Aguilar, and Jonathon Hill are on the ballot.

In the race for Maricopa County Sheriff, working for Joe Arpaio is a dealbreaker...in the primary.  Like Cheeto, Arpaio was and is a profoundly lousy human being.

As such, I'll be voting for Tyler Kamp.

If he makes it though the primary, though, Russ Skinner will get my vote in the general.  The Republican candidates are all running on a platform of "I'm more like Joe than thou."

I expect my elected officials like county sheriff and county attorney to be seen and not heard.  By that, I mean that I should know nothing about them.

The former sheriff, Paul Penzone, was quiet.

When Arpaio was in office, the old joke was that the most dangerous spot to be in AZ was any place between him and a TV camera.

Joe Arpaio: gone, but not forgotten. Like athlete's foot fungus.

Hey, I could have equated him to an STD, but I didn't because I'm far too civil for that. ;)

Even though we're still getting screwed by his time in office.

From KJZZ, dated 5/21 -

Maricopa County taxpayers will spend $314 million on Joe Arpaio racial profiling case

Seven years after Joe Arpaio was ousted as sheriff of Arizona’s most populous county, taxpayers are still footing the bills from a racial profiling verdict over his signature immigration crackdowns — and those costs have been getting heavier since.

The tab for the legal and compliance costs in overhauling the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is expected to reach $314 million by mid-summer 2025, including $41 million approved Monday by county officials — the most expensive for Maricopa County taxpayers since the lawsuit was filed in 2007.

Nearly 11 years ago, a federal judge concluded sheriff’s deputies had racially profiled Hispanics in Arpaio’s traffic patrols that targeted immigrants. Consequently, the judge ordered costly overhauls of the agency’s traffic patrol operations and, later, its internal affairs unit.

Joe Arpaio 'fesses up and tells a conference of white supremacists that he's "the biggest racist in the country"

From the Phoenix New Times -

Arpaio Draws Cheers At Far-Right Conference For Saying He's "Biggest Racist In the Country"

When Joe Arpaio took the stage at the America First Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, he told the crowd that he was often called the "biggest racist in the country."

The crowd of hundreds erupted in applause and cheered loudly.

Arpaio appeared taken aback by the clamoring response.

Arpaio may be 89 now and he lost the race for Maricopa County Sheriff in 2016, but he's not totally irrelevant politically - now he's running for mayor of Fountain Hills (he, Ginny Dickey, and Kelly Smith have filed statements of interest for the spot).

Interestingly, in the one campaign finance filing that he's submitted so far (filed 1/10/2022), he reports receiving over $206K in contributions, yet only $1200 are from in-state contributors.  And *none* of those contributions came from residents of Fountain Hills.

Of course, of the $206K, $200K was transferred from him sheriff reelection campaign committee.

Here's a wild thought:

Maybe he's not actually interested in representing the people of Fountain Hills.

Dear voters of Fountain Hills: Joe Arpaio is like gas station sushi.

The gift that keeps on giving.

Even when gone.

From NPR -

With the latest payout, former Sheriff Joe Arpaio has cost Arizona taxpayers $100M

Nearly five years after Joe Arpaio was voted out as sheriff of Arizona's most populous county, taxpayers are covering one of the last major bills from the thousands of lawsuits the lawman's headline-grabbing tactics inspired — and the overall legal tab has hit $100 million.

Officials in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, agreed last week to pay $3.1 million to cover the county's portion of a settlement with a restaurant owner who alleged Arpaio defamed him and violated his rights when raiding his businesses.

Arpaio intends to run for mayor of Fountain Hills, a suburb of Phoenix that located in Maricopa County NE of Phoenix.

Like Athlete's Foot fungus, Joe Arpaio won't go away

 From KTAR -

Joe Arpaio announces 2022 run for mayor of Phoenix suburb

Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will be 90 by the time votes are cast, but on Tuesday he announced a 2022 run for mayor of Fountain Hills.

Arpaio has lived in the town about 30 miles northeast of downtown Phoenix for more than 20 years.

The professional bigot still can't spell though.  Also from KTAR -

My guess (and it's only that) is that when it become time to put in some real work he'll beg off.