Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders — while not totally ruling out potentially serving as former President Donald Trump’s running mate — is making it clear that she plans to run for re-election in 2026.
‘I love Arkansas and I feel like I just got started here with one year in office,’ Sanders said Monday while delivering remarks at the Arkansas Christian Schools Summit. ‘There’s a long list of things I want to make happen.’
With Trump being the commanding frontrunner in the Republican presidential race — winning both the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — anticipation is growing over who the former president would pick as his running mate. Sanders often appears in speculative lists.
Sanders, the daughter of Fox News host and former longtime Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, was White House press secretary in Trump’s administration.
Now serving as Arkansas’ first female governor and a prominent GOP political figure, she is considered to be one of many names on a long list of potential running mates for Trump.
Sanders has openly endorsed Trump and is campaigning on his behalf, but amid rumors of rejoining his administration, affirmed her plans to run for re-election as governor.
A source in the governor’s political orbit also told Fox News on Wednesday that ‘she is very, very happy with what she’s doing.’
On Monday, Sanders also said, ‘I’m very biased in what I hope happens in the election. I’m going to do everything within my power to see that Donald Trump gets re-elected, but I look forward to serving as governor for seven years.’
Trump said he has already decided on his 2024 running mate during a recent Fox News townhall, but did not give any hints as to who that might be.
Among the other rumored VP picks are South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem; Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.; Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio; and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.