LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former press secretary for President Donald Trump, has officially endorsed his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Sanders, who became governor in January after emphasizing her endorsement from the former president during her campaign, will be joining Trump at a rally in Florida on Wednesday.
In a statement, Sanders said, “It’s not a question between right versus left anymore. It’s normal versus crazy, and President Biden and the left are doubling down on crazy. The time has come to return to the normal policies of the Trump era which created a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America, and that’s why I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for President.”
According to NBC, Sanders’ endorsement of Trump was first reported. The two will be appearing together in Florida on Wednesday, the same day as the third GOP presidential debate.
Trump expressed his appreciation for Sanders’ support, saying, “We had great success in the White House and it’s an honor to have Sarah’s endorsement. I look forward to having her at the big rally in Hialeah this Wednesday.”
Over the past several months, Sanders had refrained from endorsing Trump or any other candidate in the crowded Republican presidential race. However, she did have a close relationship with Trump and defended him during her time in the White House.
Among the candidates in the GOP field is Sanders’ predecessor, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who has been one of the few Republican candidates willing to directly challenge Trump. Hutchinson called on Trump to drop out of the race after he was indicted in March by a grand jury in New York. Sanders was not expected to support Hutchinson’s bid for the GOP nomination.
Trump had publicly encouraged Sanders to run for governor after she left the White House in 2019. Since then, she has adopted many of his targets and policies, including critical race theory and criticism of the media.
In February, Sanders delivered the Republican rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, focusing heavily on culture wars issues and accusing Biden of pursuing “woke fantasies.” As governor, Sanders has signed conservative-backed measures into law in Arkansas, including an education overhaul that established a new school voucher program.
However, Sanders has recently faced scrutiny over a $19,000 lectern purchased for her office, which has prompted an audit and allegations that her office illegally altered public records.
