U.S. Border Control

Sheriff Arpaio stumps for Romney, not McCain, in Iowa

Arizona's Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio stumped for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in Iowa, burnishing his own national anti-illegal-immigration credentials while also sticking it to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Arpaio has long feuded with McCain, and is Romney's honorary Arizona chairman. He was invited to Iowa by the campaign, which paid for the trip, just before the important Iowa caucus.

'He's a great guy and going to be the next president,' Arpaio said of Romney, now locked in an increasingly bitter battle with McCain in New Hampshire, which hosts the nation's first primary five days after the Iowa caucuses. 'He's a great organizer, great businessman. Has a great team. Believes in my philosophy that you can't know everything, so he surrounds himself with good people. That's what he did in Massachusetts.'

Arpaio, who sported a Romney campaign sticker, said he explained on the air how Arizona combats illegal immigration.

Arpaio insisted he didn't come to Iowa to talk about McCain but said to send the senator his regards. 'McCain's a good guy, but you know what? Mitt Romney is a better guy,' Arpaio said. 'And that's my comment.'

Campaigning in Cedar Falls later, McCain declined to comment on Arpaio's visit to Iowa, other than to jokingly say, 'I hope he enjoys the weather.' Des Moines is covered in snow.

McCain and Arpaio have a history of adversity. In the 2000 presidential race, Arpaio endorsed then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush over McCain. In 2004, McCain backed a Republican primary challenger to Arpaio.