Outed Republican Sheriff Wins Re-Election

Paul Babeu, the outed Sheriff of Pinal County, Ariz., has won re-election with 53.8% of the vote.

“A lot of you have been family to me and have stood by me through thick and through thin,” Babeu told supporters following the announcement of his win, the Casa Grande Dispatch reports. “I can tell you there’s been some dark days, but I knew you were there with me. I knew that you had my back and you wouldn’t leave me.”

Babeu was in the middle of a Congressional campaign earlier this year when he was accused of threatening to deport his ex-boyfriend, Jose Orozco, if he wouldn't keep silent about their relationship. Babeu was also involved as a co-chairman of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign for Arizona but left the post after the revelation. Babeu denied that he threatened to deport Orozco, but he dropped out of the race and disassociated himself from the Romney campaign in an official capacity. He also stayed in the running to keep his job as Pinal County Sheriff.

Babeu is nationally known for his strong stance on border security, appearing prominently alongside Sen. John McCain in a campaign ad on the subject, and he even spoke forcefully about the issue at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.