The fight to represent a far-flung congressional district could be determined by how Arizonans feel about whether children of illegal immigrants are entitled to U.S. citizenship.
In announcing his bid for Congress on Wednesday, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu touted his law enforcement background.
"There's literally an emergency in Washington," Babeu said. He said that makes the problems there an ideal fit for his status as a "first responder."
"While people are running the other direction away from trouble, I'm running towards it," he said.
That specifically includes the issue of illegal immigration.
Babeu said he and his department have been on the front line in that fight, especially against the gangs that smuggle drugs.
"We can continue doing that," he said. But Babeu said the problem cannot be solved within one county, or even one state.
"There has to be a federal solution," he said, promising to provide "subject-matter expertise, first-hand experience" for Congress.
His promise to focus on securing the border makes him not so different than state Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, who also is weighing a bid to represent the far-flung district that stretches from Pinal County through Prescott and Kingman and then south to Yuma. Gould said Wednesday he is still making a final decision.
But there is one area where the pair clearly disagree: Whether to challenge the current interpretation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which has so far been interpreted to mean that anyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen.
Gould has been at the forefront of that fight in Arizona.
Last year he sponsored a package of legislation which would require at least one parent to prove either citizenship or legal residency in order for the child to be recognized as a citizen of Arizona and, by extension, the United States.
Parents who provide the necessary documentation would get a birth certificate certifying the child as a citizen. Failure of a parent to provide that proof would result in issuance of a birth certificate stating it is not proof of citizenship.
And the package would require Arizona to enter into compacts with other states with similar laws and agree to recognize the two types of birth certificates - and treat the person accordingly.
Gould acknowledged that Arizona changing its laws would not affect federal policy. And he conceded it likely would be challenged, with the question likely winding up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
"They've never made a ruling specifically on whether the children of illegal immigrants born on United States soil are illegal immigrants," he said. "The bureaucrats have decided that they are. But the court has never ruled."
Gould was unable to get the votes last session. But he said the issue will not go away.
Babeu, however, said such a debate is a waste of time.
"Clearly, we're not going to go back, and anybody who's been born in the United States to take citizenship away from them," he said.
More to the point, Babeu said he considers the issue not only divisive but diverting attention.
"Why don't we solve the problem?" he said. "This is where so many people are focused on the symptoms and trying to fix those" instead of securing the border.
Gould said he cannot legally make a decision on whether to run until next week.
That is because state law makes it illegal for an elected official to seek another office before the last year of his or her campaign. And Gould's legislative term runs until a new crop of lawmakers is sworn in on Jan. 7, 2013.
But Gould signaled he is ready for a fight with Babeu, including on who is better suited to address illegal immigration in Washington.
"I've spent the last 10 years fighting illegal immigration in the Legislature, which is a legislative job," he said. "And Congress is a legislative job, also."
Babeu also promised to combat what he sees as runaway spending by the federal government. That, too, is an area where Gould has some credentials, having made a name for himself at the state Capitol, even fighting spending plans by his own Republican colleagues.
Gould said if he decides to run he will serve out the balance of his Senate term rather than resign, as has been the practice of some lawmakers seeking federal office.
IceCat posted at 4:46 pm on Thu, Jan 5, 2012.
Babeu is nothing more than a one-trick pony. So he will fit right on the Republican side of Congress. Should be interesting to see if rural Arizona will support a former union president.
onerebel posted at 7:11 pm on Thu, Jan 5, 2012.
Babeu may be a pony but at least he's not a Jack A_ _ like Pima County, Sheriff Clarence Dupnik. Now he would fit right in with the rest of the take your guns and money Liberals !
Eric Mac posted at 8:28 pm on Thu, Jan 5, 2012.
onerebel,
Like many Liberals, I am a gun owner and pay my share of taxes on my upper-middle class salary. It is not productive to generalize party affiliations based on assumptions. We as Americans, should be able to discuss these issues clearly, without the talking points created from both left and right sides of politics which, frankly, just distracts from finding the solutions to help citizens and not a corporations bottom line. Mr. Babeu does have a history of exaggerating the immigration crisis which is a concern.
BillRichardsonMesa posted at 10:18 pm on Thu, Jan 5, 2012.
This is wonderful news. He will be the next Andrew Thomas. Run for election and then lose and then melt away into irrelevant political ether.
He obviously learned nothing from the Pearce recall. I SO hope he focuses on illegal immigration instead of the economy. That will assure his political demise.
mwmike posted at 4:22 am on Fri, Jan 6, 2012.
Has Babeu resigned as sheriff yet. Clearly he can't be running for Congress and still be on the "front lines".
CooperG posted at 5:06 am on Fri, Jan 6, 2012.
What other issue can Babeu possibly run on, if not immigration? What does he possibly know about anything else that matters to people?
Education?
Jobs?
Budgets?
Civil rights?
Domestic violence?
Business creation (prisons, maybe)?
The only issue he has is the one scares the old people the most and that's immigration. Even on this he'll have some explaining to do. Not too many (e.g., none) of his dire predictions have come true, nor are most of his statements about immigrants true. Not that the lame Democrats will hold him to anything, they'll just pander like Kyrsten Sinema. The last thing we need is another ego in Congress.
DavidNichols posted at 7:09 am on Fri, Jan 6, 2012.
I beleive Babeau is a Drama Queen.
The Border is "The Front Line"
Pinal County; Population Three Coyotes, and about two dozen Prarie dogs.
Lets not forget; Babeau's Deputy Puroll Staged the "Big Shoot out in the Desert" that went viral on World Wide News, which cast this Drama Queen Babeau into the Media Spotlight.
Babeau is now trying to ride the Publicity from a Staged Pinal County Shootout, for which his Deputy should not only have been Fired, however should have been thrown in jail for, and forced to pay back the millions of Dollars wasted on the Staged Event!
Immigration?
The E-verify Law , The I.C.E. Deportatiions, and of course The "Worst Recession in U,S. History all began together in January 2008.
Fact: For every good, Hard Working Immigrant deported since January 2008 America has lost over four times as many American jobs.
Maricopa County now has about a half million vacant homes, yet the same size Government?
Babeau, how many of the Seven thousand Sheriffs Deputies in Maricopa County are now Excess Dead Weight?
Babeau has shown great Incommpetance, and Bungling Skills, he would be a Shoe in for the current Congress!
You go Drama Queen!
Leon Ceniceros posted at 7:51 am on Fri, Jan 6, 2012.
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is running for Congress. He has just put up a great website.
www.sheriffpaul.com
rked posted at 9:24 am on Fri, Jan 6, 2012.
I agree on 1 point, there should be NO automatic citizenship to peoples invading this country ILLEGALLY...!!!--We are the ONLY country that still does this, so of course !!!there will ALWAYS be peeps that take advantage...!!!--also there should be NO Birth certificate issued Ever unless proof is shown that 1 parent is a citizen...Mexico & So. America, recognize that their citizens Squatting here & issue birth certificates from Those countries, As well they should, since they ARE citizens of their Home country, NOT this one.........Duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Masterrogue666 posted at 9:25 am on Fri, Jan 6, 2012.
CooperG: You wanted to know about his qualifications? It's an easy thing to find out IF you really want to know. I provided a wiki link for general info. IMHO, he has more qualifications that Obama did/does when he ran for the Presidency.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Babeu
Rational Human posted at 2:50 pm on Sat, Jan 7, 2012.
Great point Masterrogue666. Comparing anyone to the Obummer makes them look eminently qualified for public office, and you know CopperG voted for the Obamanation.