SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. — An Arizona sheriff who is a leading border security hawk says he's running for Congress.

Pinal (pih-NAL') County Sheriff Paul Babeu (BAB'-yoo) will seek the Republican nomination for the 4th Congressional District seat, which includes much of the Phoenix area.

He says he plans to focus on illegal immigration, unemployment and the deficit.

Babeu has called for Attorney General Eric Holder's resignation for an investigation that was intended to track firearms bought by straw purchasers but was heavily criticized because agents lost track of hundreds of guns.

Earlier, Babeu initially stood by a deputy who was wounded after encountering suspected smugglers and was later accused of staging the incident. The sheriff said the facts backed up the deputy's account but later fired him for comments he made to a newspaper.