It's looking dismal for Romley, an honorable man who won appointment to his former post a few months ago when Andrew Thomas resigned to run for Arizona Attorney General. (Romley served as County Attorney for 16 years until he retired in 2004, sadly paving the way for Mr. Thomas—a demagogue in the making who would make for a cool character in a potboiler by the likes of a Jim Thompson, a Stephen King or, stop the presses, by my comrade Elmore Leonard, an up-and-comer who has potential in the writing biz.
So, let's see, Bill Montgomery, a nobody with all the makings of a first-class tool serving the varied needs of Sheriff Joe Arpaio (see: chief deputy Dave Hendershott), is on his way to victory.
Montgomery has taken advantage of the absurdly dirty little campaign ads in which Arpaio made it seem like he was running against Romley (whom, as we all know, adores illegal aliens, especially those who commit violent crimes against red-blooded Americans).
"Don't do this to us!" county supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox said to no one in particular as the votes continued to trickle in.
With Montgomery the apparent winner (even though at this moment less than a third of the ballots have been announced), and his kindred spirit Andy Thomas ahead by a bit in the race for the Republican nomination for Arizona Attorney General, the mood here among those who don't favor continued monumental abuses of power is gloomy.
With 26 percent reporting, Montgomery has 99,920 votes, and Romley has 75,780—a butt-whipping.
"Let the insanity begin," perennial sheriff's candidate Dan Saban told us a few minutes ago. "We all ought to get on an Ark and sail on out of here."
Well, not all of us, just those who dare oppose the crew who are sweeping into power.
Last thought for now:
Barnett Lotstein, who is down here having the time of his life, really is going to last as long as the cockroaches and Styrofoam cups after the rest of us are long gone.
