Arizona Sheriff Joins Romney's Campaign

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been chosen as the state campaign chairman for a prominent GOP candidate, but not the candidate you might expect:

A controversial Arizona sheriff known for making his inmates wear pink underwear and eat green bologna turned his back on his state's favored presidential candidate, opting instead to join forces with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

The Romney camp appointed Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio Monday as honorary chair of the campaign in the state of Arizona.

"The first time I met the governor at a private meeting, first thing he said was 'How's the pink underwear doing?'" Arpaio told FOXNews.com Wednesday.

Romney asked Arpaio to join his campaign in early January after several meetings, said Arpaio, who has made his name with a tough stance on immigration in the nation's fourth largest county.

"I like him," Arpaio said. "He's a man of principle, of good character. He did a great job in Massachusetts and I feel he's going to make a great president."

The sheriff, who was born and raised in Massachusetts, says his role in the campaign will include touting the Republican candidate in speeches throughout the state, and possibly the nation, where the tough-talking sheriff will stress Romney's ethics, his family life and his business acumen as reasons to vote him into office.

Sheriff Joe didn't have anything bad to say about Arizona's favorite son Sen. John McCain, but apparently has differences with McCain on some key issues important to Arpaio. Arpaio is a pretty high profile guy in Arizona, and could be a potent force for the Romney campaign. His style of law enforcement is genuinely hated by the liberals, but they weren't going to vote for Romney anyway.