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Democrat looks to unseat Arpaio in November

Posted at 4:29 PM, Mar 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-07 18:30:07-05

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has a new Democratic challenger ahead of November's race for his seventh term as the county's top law enforcer. 

Joe Rodriguez, who worked for the state's Department of Corrections for more than a decade, filed paperwork for the seat Monday.

"I believe that we can be tough on crime without violating constitutional rights, without excessive use of force, and without wasteful spending," Rodriguez said in a prepared statement.

Chad Willems, Arpaio's campaign manager, said in a statement that the Sheriff is confident he will win in November: 

"Sheriff Joe Arpaio looks forward to a campaign for a seventh term.  The voters of Maricopa County know and trust the Sheriff," Willems said. 

Rodriguez joins a sizable list of candidates for Arpaio's seat. 

Those in the running include Republicans Roger Baldwin, Dan Saban, Mike Bodak and Marsha Hill. Democrat William Hall and Independent Kenneth Baker are also running.

Arpaio was first elected Sheriff in 1992. He's still in the midst of a contempt of court case stemming from a judge's 2011 order in a racial-profiling lawsuit.