The candidate to take on Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone in November general election will have to wait. Two candidates are locked in a too-close-to-call race for the Arizona primary election Republican seat.

Jerry Sheridan and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The two are locked in a too-close-to-call race for the Arizona primary election Republican seat, which has divided Maricopa County Republicans.

As of Wednesday evening, Jerry Sheridan and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Republican contenders were in a virtual dead heat — 37% to 36%. Sheridan currently leading by only a few hundred votes. Challenger Mike Crawford had 26%.

If Arpaio were to pull off the, it would be a familiar race. In 2016, Penzone beat out Arpaio for the seat, after losing to Arpaio in 2012. Joe Arpaio held the sheriff’s position from 1993 until 2017 when Penzone took over the role.
It came as quite a shock to many when Joe Arpaio announced he was running for sheriff again for an unprecedented eighth time in August of 2019.

Jerry Sheridan worked for the sheriff’s office for nearly 40 years, ending up as Joe Arpaio’s second in command for six years. Sheridan says he was encouraged to run for the seat by current Maricopa County Sheriff Office employees who are dissatisfied with Sheriff Paul Penzone.