Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is running for Arkansas governor, but she’s looking beyond her home state, saying she hopes to redefine the Republican Party.
“My focus right now is Arkansas, but the future is incredibly bright, not just for the party but for the country,” Sanders told The Associated Press in an interview during the Republican Governors Association meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Sanders left the White House in 2019 to return to Arkansas after serving as President Donald Trump’s press secretary from 2017 to 2019. Her father, Mike Huckabee, served as the state’s governor from 1996 to 2007.
Sanders is expected to face a crowded Republican primary that includes two statewide elected officials, Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
“It’s a long way away,” Sanders said about the election, which will take place in 2022. “I think the focus is 2022 and certainly looking forward to 2024.”
During the interview, Sanders also talked about the transition to the Biden administration and her thoughts on the current political climate.
“I think one of the things we need to do better is a better job of explaining what is happening on the ground,” she said. “I think the American people often get caught up in the noise of Washington, and they need to understand that government can be effective and efficient.”
Sanders said she believes there is an opportunity for Republicans to reclaim the narrative and focus on policies that help Americans.
“The thing I’m going to be focused on is rebranding and reshaping the image of the Republican Party,” she said. “I think we need to get back to the party of opportunity and prosperity, and we need to make sure that we are talking to the American people in a way that resonates with them.”