After all, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House press secretary and daughter of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, has re-entered the political spotlight after launching her candidacy for Arkansas governor in January 2021.
According to The Washington Post, Huckabee Sanders declared her candidacy in an almost eight-minute video in which she emphasized her time as former President Donald Trump’s press secretary when she notably replaced her predecessor, Sean Spicer.
“I took on the media, the radical left, and their ‘cancel culture,’ and I won,” she boasted about her presidency. “As governor, I will be your voice, and I will never let them silence you,” she said forcefully.But has she always wanted to be governor, the same position her father, Mike Huckabee, once held? Continue reading over the break to hear more about Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ dramatic turnaround.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been involved in politics for a long time. As The New York Times wrote in 2017, Huckabee Sanders spent many late hours as a child going through poll data with her renowned father, Mike Huckabee, and his political strategist. “Looking back, that was probably not the most normal thing in the world,” she reflected on that period in her life.
Later, she assisted her father in winning the 2008 Iowa caucus, which was no small task. She also assisted her loving old father by functioning as his manager when he announced his presidential candidacy in 2016. Though the run was brief, we assume the experience was invaluable. “That didn’t go so well,” she quipped about the failed effort to the New York Times.While her father never reached the White House, it is probable that her upbringing and early life experiences prepared her for a career in politics, specifically a candidacy for governor of Arkansas. As the saying goes, “Like father, like daughter.”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is best known as the daughter of former Baptist pastor turned politician and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. And, while she pursued her own political career, she was careful not to abandon the Christian principles and goals instilled in her by her legendary father. And, at times, it appeared difficult for her to do so as Donald Trump’s White House press secretary.According to The New York Times, Huckabee Sanders is convinced that she did not always agree with the president. “I certainly didn’t approve of a couple of the comments,” she admitted during an interview in August 2017. “But, at the same time, we were looking for a commander-in-chief, not a pastor.”
Nonetheless, she took care to defend her boss. “Oftentimes, people want to make politicians perfect,” she went on. “And one of the true beauties of Christianity is realizing that no one is.”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders made history by becoming the first mother to serve as White House press secretary.According to The New York Times, Huckabee Sanders had to rearrange her family schedule to accommodate her jobs as a mother of three young children and Donald Trump’s number-one defender. According to The New York Times, she began her days bright and early, rising up at 5 a.m. to spend time with her three children and even talk with her father about her day’s events. It should be noted, however, that Huckabee Sanders eventually resigned from the same post, citing a desire to spend more time with her children as the reason.
During her stint as press secretary, Huckabee Sanders was frequently chastised for what some saw as a penchant to appeal to the masses through her personal tales as a mother. “I don’t want to hear any more about the chaos in her home,” White House writer Brian Karem reportedly told the New York Times about his meetings with Huckabee Sanders. “If she tells me one more story about how three preschoolers can be more chaotic than a hundred and some odd reporters in the White House press office, I’ll even volunteer to babysit,” he says. YIKES.When asked about the verdict, Huckabee Sanders simply shrugged. “That’s just kind of who I am,” she explained.Following her resignation from the White House, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Fox News announced that she will be joining the team as a contributor.
“Fox News has been the number one news organization in the country for 17 years running, and I am beyond proud to join their incredible stable of on-air contributors in providing political insights and analysis,” Sanders said in an August 2019 statement, according to Deadline.Many people were taken aback by her professional change. Well… not quite. Niraj Chokshi, a business reporter for The New York Times, argued that Huckabee Sanders’ transfer to Fox News strengthened “the strong ties between the conservative cable network and the Trump administration.”He also wrote that “the path from White House spokesperson to television news” was “well worn,” citing George Stephanopoulos and Jay Carney as examples. So perhaps appearing as a commentator on “Fox & Friends” was just the inevitable next step in her career.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders resigned as White House press secretary, leaving only well-wishes from then-Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump.According to The New York Times, Trump complimented Huckabee Sanders on a job well done. “We’ve been through a lot as a group. He said, “She’s tough and she’s good.” “She’s a warrior,” he continued before kissing her on the side of the head. Awkward.Even after sending her off with best wishes, Trump went a step farther by publicly encouraging her to run for Arkansas governor, according to USA Today.”She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job!” Trump stated this in a tweet. “I hope she runs for Governor of Arkansas; she’d be fantastic.” Sarah, congratulations on a job well done!”Now it appears she has finally complied with the previous president, and Trump has stated that he couldn’t be happier. According to The Washington Post, after Huckabee Sanders declared her candidacy for Arkansas governor, Trump officially endorsed her. “Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a warrior who will always fight for Arkansas’s people and do what is right, not what is politically correct.”Sarah is tough on crime, strong on borders, and completely supports the Second Amendment and our outstanding law enforcement personnel,” he wrote in the statement. It remains to be seen whether the recommendation carries any weight.
