Arpaio was one of Trump's earliest and most ardent supporters because the two men share similar hardline views on immigration and border security. Trump on Thursday praised the former sheriff, who was convicted in 2017 of contempt of court, as "one of the greats of all time."

The Harris-Walz campaign has prioritized flipping North Carolina from red to blue in November. The state backed Trump in both 2016 and 2020, but President Joe Biden shrunk the margin to around 1% in the latter election and Democrats were hopeful Harris and Walz could turn the state blue. Polls show a tight race in the state.