Former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum is meeting with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio today -- at least, according to the sheriff -- to become the next in the line of GOP candidates to come kiss Arpaio's rings.
According to Arpaio, or his flak, presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich also phoned him up last week, but he'll be meeting "privately" with Santorum today.
In case anyone's keeping track, Santorum will be the fourth GOP presidential candidate to pucker up to Arpaio -- and the other three aren't even in the race anymore.
Yesterday, though, a public-opinion poll of Arizona Republicans was released, in which many Republicans said they'd be more likely to vote for a candidate backed by Arpaio.
That's obviously just a result of Arizona's Republicans, as Arpaio's former schmoozers -- Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, and Rick Perry -- didn't even stay in the race long enough to see Arizona's primary date.
There are also the other endorsements from Arpaio that haven't been too hot -- like former U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Hayworth, ousted Senate President Russell Pearce, former County Attorney Andrew Thomas, and former state Senator Scott Bundgaard.
Still, with Romney's lead on Santorum in Arizona getting smaller and smaller in the polls, the state's primary result may show how much sway Arpaio really has, if any.
That said, at least one Republican recognized Arpaio's not-so-outstanding track record with picking candidates as of late, and posted a solid strategy suggestion on the sheriff's Facebook page:
"Um, Sheriff, so far, everyone that has met with you has dropped out. Can you meet with Obama, please?! "
