Sheriff Joe Arpaio faces tough race

Sheriff Joe Arpaio faces three Republican challengers in Tuesday’s primary in the toughest election in his 23 years as the top law enforcer in metro Phoenix.

The sheriff of Maricopa County is pitted against former Buckeye Police Chief Dan Saban, retired sheriff ’s Deputy Wayne Baker, and Marsha Hill, a former commander of a volunteer sheriff ’s posse.

The winner will face Democrat Paul Penzone, a retired Phoenix police officer, in the Nov. 8 general election.

Arpaio, 84, is seeking a seventh term as he experiences the worst legal troubles in his career.

Over the last four years, a judge has ruled Arpaio’s officers racially profiled Latinos, the courts took away the sheriff ’s immigration powers, and Arpaio was found in civil contempt of court for defying orders in the profiling case.