Pima County Sheriff's Race Goes To The GOP

November 09, 2016
Michel Marizco
Mark Napier at a watch party on Nov. 8, 2016.

Maricopa County isn’t the only county in Arizona to switch political parties in its top law enforcement official.

For the first time in a generation, Pima County will have a Republican sheriff. It’s a shift in the political mood that some members of the GOP are hopeful means a more conservative climate here. Mark Napier beat his appointed rival 56 to 44 percent, holding the lead all through Tuesday night.

"Nobody wants to the sheriff of the Republicans of Pima County. I want to be the sheriff of all people of Pima County. So we reached out really hard to Democrats, Independents and liberals to make the case that this is about public safety, it’s not about partisanship," Napier said.

His rival, Chris Nanos, is besieged by an FBI indictment charging top commanders within the department with theft and misuse of public funds. Nanos conceded via a message on Facebook.

John  Holden is Legislative District 3 Chairman for the GOP in Pima County. He said Napier’s win was long overdue after Nanos and his predecessor Clarence Dupnik who retired last year after 35 years as sheriff.

"Baja Arizona may not be the solid blue that people have counted on for so many years," he said.

Don’t look for a completely red Pima County, however. The Democrats kept the majority on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.