The media will try but fail. This guy was not even an elected official. Hardly a “Top Republican.”
He was a top immigration hardliner republican. And very influential on Joe Arpaio.
The idea of the tent jails originated with Pierce, who was Arpaio's deputy.
Early on, Arpaio wasn't an immigration hardliner, but he noticed how easily Pierce got elected to the lege and Andrew Thomas got elected to county attorney by campaigning on a hardline immigration policy. Arpaio shifted to a hardline position and has never had close election since.
Piece eventually fell out of favor with the voters so in that sense he is not, or no longer a top republican. But he got a top job in the republican party machine because he is a top republican amongst the people who work in the republican party machine.