The Hill News

Rick Perry announced Tuesday that he had earned the endorsement of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the controversial but influential Arizona lawman known for his tough stance on illegal immigration.

"The federal government has failed on border crime and border enforcement, and no candidate for president has done more to secure the border than Governor Rick Perry. I have been watching Governor Perry and Texas closely and know his border surge operations with state, local and federal law enforcement officials have helped shut down the illegal trafficking of weapons, drugs and people," said Arpaio in a statement. 

Perry has slipped in the Republican race, due in no small part to a series of debate gaffes, including when he said that his opponents who did not agree that the children of illegal immigrants should be afforded in-state tuition did not "have a heart." Perry apologized for the statement, but the moment bruised the Texas governor's credibility with his conservative base on the immigration issue. The campaign clearly hopes the Arpaio endorsement will help Perry rebuild his immigration bona fides.

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