Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio (R), a vocal supporter of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, is projected to lose his reelection race in Arizona to Democrat Paul Penzone.
{mosads}The Associated Press has Arpaio down 45 percent to Penzone’s 55 percent.
Arpaio, who was seeking a seventh term, is known for his hard-line immigration stance.
Arpaio is facing criminal contempt charges after allegedly violating a judge’s order to halt immigration patrols accused of racial profiling. He pleaded not guilty just two weeks before the election.
An October poll from the Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News poll found Arpaio trailing by nearly 15 points as news broke that he would face the charges.