April 17, 2025
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was elected Arkansas governor on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to lead the state and the highest profile Trump administration official in elected office.
Sanders defeated Democratic nominee Chris Jones in the race for governor. Sanders had been heavily favored to win the race, which also included Libertarian nominee Ricky Dale Harrington.
Sanders, the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee, shattered state fundraising records with her campaign.
In her acceptance speech on Tuesday night, Sanders said, “This election is about taking Arkansas to the top. I know that Arkansas can be first, and I'm committed to being the leader who takes us there."
Sanders succeeds Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is leaving office in January due to term limits. Hutchinson, who endorsed Sanders’ bid, is considering running for president in 2024.
Jones, an ordained Baptist minister and nuclear engineer, had presented himself to voters as a more unifying figure than Sanders. He launched his campaign with a video that went viral where he talked about his family’s history in the state. He ran on promises to expand preschool access and broadband.
