Sheriff Joe Arpaio Is Not Running For Arizona Governor

Arpaio said he was being loyal to the office's longtime employees.

"I feel that I owe it to the people of Maricopa County, my hard-working employees and others who believe in my office's policies to continue as their Sheriff," Arpaio said in a statement.

"To leave this office open to appointment by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors of an interim Sheriff may very well put us on a path that would be extremely displeasing to the voters of this county."

He has considered it in each of the past three election cycles. This time, Arpaio claims he is considering it more seriously, in part because his wife, Ava, has encouraged him.

It could be his last opportunity to run for the office.

"I think it's my senior-citizen status," he said. "You have to be reasonable, and say wait a minute. If we're going to do it, let's do it now, 'cause I'm going to do it for eight years, so I feel if I'm going to do it, this is the time."

The subpoena was issued as budget officials investigate whether the Sheriff's Office misspent money intended to pay jail employees, according to a report obtained last week by The Arizona Republic. The county's analysis indicates sheriff's administrators may have used a restricted fund to pay for operations not required by state law.

Arpaio says he will make a decision by May 1st as he will need the time to sign up names on a petition to formally be eligible to run for Governor of Arizona.

If Arpaio does run for Governor, he'll be facing a long list of declared opponents, including Governor Jan Brewer, State Treasurer Dean Martin, businessman Buzz Mills and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard.