Former Trump White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced her campaign for governor of Arkansas on Monday.
“With the radical left now in charge of Washington, your governor is your last line of defense. In fact, your governor must be on the front line,” Sanders said in her gubernatorial declaration video. “So today, I announce my candidacy for governor of Arkansas.”
I'm in —> https://t.co/8bmfl3ZPgp
Watch ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/khDPEk0orU
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) January 25, 2021
Sanders, a Republican, is seeking to replace current GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who can’t run for re-election due to state term limits. If successful in her run, Sanders will follow in the footsteps of her father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. She would also become the first female governor in the state’s history.
In her announcement, Sanders promised to “stand with our brave law enforcement officers … prohibit sanctuary cities … and fight back against the radical environmental policies like the Green New Deal that threaten to destroy so many jobs.” She also emphasized limiting government and lowering taxes.
“Everything we love about America is at stake — and with the radical left now in control of Washington … our state needs a leader with the courage to do what’s right — not what’s politically correct or convenient,” she said.
Sanders also promised to promote and enforce law and order consistently.
“We’ve seen violence in our streets, at a congressional baseball practice, and at our Capitol. This is not who we are as Americans. To remain free, we must have law and order,” she said in the video.
The Republican was first spotted as a potential front-runner in the governor’s race when she left her position in the Trump administration in 2019. Shortly after her departure, Sanders admitted she was “very seriously looking at” a run soon and felt like she was “called” to enter the race.
“I love Arkansas, I love my home state, I am so happy to be back home, and we’ll see what happens,” Sanders previously said.