Republican Raul Labrador with Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio at the Women in Red banquet Monday night. (Courtesy photo for Huckleberries Online)

Huckleberries has been told by 2 sources who talked with Sheriff Joe Arpaio at the Republican Women’s breakfast Tuesday morning that the sheriff’s endorsement of Republican Raul Labrador was less than enthusiastic. Seems he was surprised when someone presented him with the Spokesman-Review that included the story headlined: “Arizona lawman endorses Labrador.” After viewing the article, Arpaio said “Did I endorse this guy?” According to my sources, Arpaio then commented that he didn’t expect Labrador to win. On his Web site, Labrador touted the endorsement and the quote from Arpaio: “Congress needs a conservative Republican who understands immigration law; Raul Labrador will help America solve the problem of illegal immigration.” So, which is it? Did Arpaio endorse Labrador or not? Here’s the exact exchange between Arpaio and SReporter Alison Boggs from press conference:

Q: I notice Mr. Labrador’s here. Are you making an endorsement in the First Congressional District race?
A: I gotta endorse him. Look who’s running against him. The guy that I worked with when he was at the White House, I had big battles with Minnick. I didn’t know it was the same guy, then I find out it is the same guy, under Nixon.
(Sheriff Joe worked for 25 years at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency before becoming sheriff in Maricopa County.)
Q: So are you going to be doing that tonight?
A: Doing what?
Q: An official endorsement.
A: I support him. I’m doing it here, I guess. I don’t know what I’m doing. But yeah, he’s a good guy. Nice wife. It’s always the spouse you gotta look at, never mind who’s running. That’s why I get re-elected. I’ve got a nice wife.

Question: Sounds like an endorsement to me albeit not a ringing one. What do you think?

Kellie Palm, of the Kootenai County Republican Women’s Federation’s Women in Red banquet, gives Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio a thumbs under during his speech last night at the Coeur d’Alene Resort. (Special to Huckleberries Online)

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio talks with Raul Labrador, Republican candidate for Congress, at the Coeur d’Alene Resort on Monday. At a press conference prior to the annual Women in Red banquet, sponsored by the Kootenai County Republican Women’s Federation, Arpaio endorsed Labrador’s candidacy for Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. Story on Arpaio speech at banquet here. (SR Photo: Kathy Plonka)

• Idaho Records/Sherry Adkins, SR
• Monday Scanner Traffic/DFO, Huckleberries Online
  
• Sunshine and warmer weather to return/Mike Prager, SR
• Game sold out a month ahead of Boise State-UI game/Josh Wright, SportsLink
  
• Blanchette: Spokane native ends career after 13 seasons in majors/SR
• Westboro Baptist protesters target CHS, LCHS, NIC/Maureen Dolan, Press
• One shot near Gonzaga in argument over wheelchair (w/video)/KXLY
• Aroma therapeutic Spice controversial in Idaho, too/Kelli Hadley, UI Argonaut
  

Maricopa County Sheriff  Joe  Arpaio is shown during a news conference in Phoenix July 30. The controversial Arpaio, who will speak at the annual Kootenai County Republican Women’s Women In Red gathering at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Oct. 4, was sued by the U.S. Justice Department last Thursday. (Story here.) The fedeal government says the Arizona lawman refused for more than a year to turn over records in an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers, File)

• Idaho Records/Sherry Adkins, SR
• Wednesday Scanner Traffic/DFO, Huckleberries Online
  
• Look for sun to return Friday/Spokesman-Review
• Sheriff Knezovich ruing flap over deputy’s vacation/Meghann Cuniff, S&G
• Post Falls mayor receives national environmental honor/Brian Walker, Press
  
• Idaho Vandals keep big-money road games to 1 per season/Josh Wright, SR
• Gonzaga sued over alleged delayed rape investigation/John Langeler, KXLY
  
• Pullman teen accused of raping children he was baby-sitting/Kalae Chock, KXLY
  
• Currie to try to keep job by running as write-in vs. Nelson/Alecia Warren, Press
  
• Lake Coeur d’Alene drawdown begins/Coeur d’Alene Press
• TESH remodel to begin Monday/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d’Alene Press
• Numbers up on UI, LCSC campuses in Coeur d’Alene/Maureen Dolan, Press

Question: Why do you think the local Republican women invited Sheriff Joe Arpaio to speak at their annual gathering this fall?