When you're down by 26 points, it's time to bring out the big guns.

Today, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner announced that he has been endorsed by Joe Arpaio, the immigrant-busting sheriff of Maricopa County.

In his effort to outflank Meg Whitman, Poizner has endorsed Arizona's restrictive immigration law. That's enough for Arpaio, who seems to believe Poizner can get something similar done here in California:

“I have witnessed firsthand the effect that this law has had on curbing illegal immigration in our state in its early stages, and I believe that as governor, Steve Poizner would enact a similar law to secure California's borders.”

Apparently Sheriff Joe hasn't met the California Legislature, which would sooner make Arnold Schwarzenegger governor for life than it would vote for an Arizona-style immigration law.

Arpaio has also gotten involved in a couple of California sheriff's races, endorsing Bill Hunt in Orange County and Jay LaSuer in San Diego County. LaSuer is such an Arpaio clone that he calls himself “Sheriff Jay.” And Hunt, who held a fundraiser at a shooting range where he invited  donors to beat him at target practice, has said said that he looks forward to being “mentored” in office by Sheriff Joe.

How does Poizner, a former Silicon Valley executive and onetime moderate whose passion until this campaign was charter schools, wind up in that crowd? Well, being down by 26 points will make you do strange things.

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