A couple days ago I was talking with the brilliant Phoenix writer, urbanist and architect Taz Loomans, and we discussed whether Paul Penzone has a chance of beating Joe Arpaio in the election for Maricopa County Sheriff.

She was more optimistic than I, and I hope she’s right to be, but I think Arpaio is unbeatable, no matter what happens, because the Joe Arpaio that people vote for has never existed. As I reported in Harper’s Magazine 11 years ago, he has always been a myth. “Sheriff...