CASA GRANDE – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey threw his support for Congressional District 1 to Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu.
Ducey praised Babeu’s efforts focused on battling drug and human smuggling cartels along the Interstate 10 corridor.
“Sheriff Paul Babeu is taking the fight directly to the cartels, protecting residents in Pinal County and all across Arizona by taking dangerous drugs and criminals off the streets,” Ducey said. “I know Arizona will have a partner in Congress who will work to secure our border and stop the flow of drugs and people.”
Babeu said Ducey’s own efforts to direct more money to border counties to find illegal immigration and drug smuggling is also having an impact.
“Gov. Ducey isn’t just talking about ways to reduce the flow of people and drugs from our Mexican border, he is putting resources and money behind the effort,” Babeu said. “When I get to Congress, I pledge to assist Gov. Ducey in his efforts by directing more money to secure our border.”
Babeu, the GOP nominee, faces Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat Tom O’Halleran in November.
Babeu is a veteran of the Iraq War and spent 20 years in the Army National Guard, rising to the rank of major. In addition, Babeu commanded 700 troops on the Arizona-Mexico border as part of Operation Jump Start, which helped reduce illegal immigration and drug smuggling by 94 percent in the Yuma Sector. He was first elected Pinal County Sheriff in 2008 and won reelection in 2012.
