By: Josh Droll

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — For the first time in his second term as president, President Donald Trump has endorsed Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Arkansas Governor as she begins her bid for re-election in 2026.

President Trump announced his endorsement on Truth Social Monday night, adding that Sanders is “a very distinguished and highly respected Governor” and “SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.”

Sanders first became a prominent national figure in national politics as a senior advisor in 2016 to the Trump administration, where she would take over the role of White House Press Secretary during the president’s first term. She is just the third woman to hold that position in U.S. History. She served in that role for two years before stepping away from the role.

Immediately after, she accepted a role with Fox News as a contributor, where she made appearances during the network’s 2020 democratic election coverage.

Sanders won the 2022 Arkansas Governor’s race, replacing her predecessor, Asa Hutchinson. With her appointment in 2023, she became the state’s first female governor and the youngest person to ever hold the position. 

As governor, she championed several conservative initiatives for the state, including the LEARNS Act in 2023, which increased pay for teachers, expanded school choice for students, and implemented programs to bolster security and mental health services in schools.

Later that year, she signed the Natural State Initiative to further state investment in outdoor recreation and other outdoor tourist attractions. The act also served to educate Arkansans on the benefits of the state’s outdoor features.

Sanders is also a prominent voice for the Republican Party. 100 days after being elected, she spoke on behalf of the Republican Party in response to former President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech, calling for new conservative leadership in government.

Voting for the next Arkansas General Election is set for November 3 of next year.