Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has announced his campaign for Congress, joining a now-crowded race for the 1st Congressional District seat.
The two-term sheriff made the announcement on Monday morning in a press release. State House Speaker David Gowan also announced Monday that he would be running for CD-1.
"I've spent seven years fighting Washington's inaction and now it's time to bring the fight directly to our nation's capital," Babeu said. "I will work tirelessly to protect the residents of rural Arizona, shrink the federal government, overturn Obamacare and guard against attacks on the 2nd Amendment."
Former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett and rancher and businessman Gary Kiehne previously announced their candidacies for the GOP nomination in the 1st District.
Former state legislator Tom O'Halleran is running for the Democratic nomination in the 1st District.
The sprawling 1st District is competitive between Democrats and Republicans. It stretches from the Utah line on the north to Graham County and Tucson's northern outskirts on the south.
