Sheriff Joe Arpaio says he has decided not to run for Arizona governor.

"Right now, we are standing in the cross-hairs of history in this state and as sheriff of the most populous county in Arizona, there is much work yet to do," he said in a statement.

To leave this office open to appointment by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors of an interim sheriff may very well put us on a path that would be extremely displeasing to the voters of this county," he said.