Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb on Tuesday made official what has been speculated for months when he tossed his cowboy hat into the ring to run for U.S. Senate. 

The Republican filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday and released a short video on Tuesday announcing his candidacy. 

“We need leaders in this country that aren’t too politically correct to protect us,” Lamb said.  

Because Lamb is entering the final year of his term, he will not be required to resign as sheriff to run, according to state law. 

So whether Lamb wins or loses in the Republican U.S. Senate primary, Pinal County will elect a new sheriff in 2024. 

Lamb is the first prominent Republican to announce for the seat held since 2019 by Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Several other Republicans have expressed interest—including unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and T.J. Shope, president pro tempore of the Arizona Senate—but none has yet filed to run.  

Sinema, elected as a Democrat, but who left the party last Dec. 9, is expected to seek re-election as an independent. Arizona U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Dist. 3) is the likely Democratic nominee, setting up a three-way race. 

On his website, Lamb lists 10 priorities, including focusing on border security, gun rights and the opioid epidemic.  

The video addresses his personal familiarity with the opioid epidemic, in which Lamb briefly discusses his son’s struggle with drug use and eventual tragic death in 2022.  

“During his life, our son Cooper struggled with drug addiction. He even spent time in my jail for an issue stemming from fentanyl abuse,” Lamb said in the video. “Almost every Arizona family, even the sheriff’s family, is being touched by this drug crisis.” 

Lamb trained at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Academy and began his law enforcement career at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. He began working with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office in 2012. In 2017, Lamb was elected county sheriff. 

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