Sarah Huckabee Sanders officially announces run for Arkansas governor
Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is officially running for governor of Arkansas, she announced Monday.
In a nearly eight-minute video posted to her social media accounts, the former Trump administration official began her announcement by recounting meeting a soldier in Iraq who re-enlisted in the armed forces after President Donald Trump had taken office.
The two, Sanders said, agreed they were “in this together,” referencing the fight to uphold freedom.
“America is great because we are free, but today, our freedom and the rule of law are under attack,” the Republican daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee continued.
Sanders, who left the Trump White House in July 2019, went on to discuss the rise in political violence across the political spectrum, referencing by name the congressional baseball practice shooting where House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) was shot, and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Sticking with Trump’s “law and order” messaging, the gubernatorial candidate decried the violence, saying, “This is not who we are as Americans. To remain free, we must have law and order.”
Still, she rejected calls on the left for healing, saying their solution “is to impose government control and censorship from the top down. But their socialism and cancel culture will not heal America, it will only further divide and destroy us.
“Everything we love about America is at stake, and with the radical left now in control of Washington, your governor is your last line of defense. In fact, your governor must be on the front line. So today, I announce my candidacy for governor of Arkansas, and ask for your prayers and support,” Sanders said.
Speculation about Sanders’ gubernatorial bid began to circulate in the months after she resigned her White House post.
Politico reported at the time that Sanders and those in her inner circle had begun making calls to GOP donors and operatives in Arkansas to get a sense of interest in a potential run for her. Trump expressed his desire for her to run after announcing her departure.
The then-commander-in-chief brought her on stage during a June rally announcing his re-election bid and said to the crowd: “I have a feeling she’s going to be running for a certain gubernatorial position.”
When he tweeted an announcement of her resignation, Trump also mentioned his hopes for her political future.
“I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas — she would be fantastic,” he wrote on Twitter.
Sanders’ father, Mike Huckabee, served as Arkansas’ governor from 1997 to 2006.
The gubernatorial election is not until 2022, when incumbent Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson finishes his final term. He is barred by term limits from seeking re-election.