Governor of Arkansas
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Governor of Arkansas (since January 2023)RepublicanINCUMBENT
- Race
- Governor of Arkansas
- Election
- 2026-11-03
- Opponents
- Fredrick Love (Democratic); Colt Shelby (Libertarian)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did1 statement · 0 votes
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the incumbent Republican governor of Arkansas, seeking a second term. A former White House press secretary under President Trump, she was elected in 2022 with about 63% of the vote. Her first term included the LEARNS Act, which created the state's school voucher program, and income-tax rate cuts signed in 2023 and 2026.[1][2][3]
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotGovernor
2026-11-03
| Sarah Huckabee Sanders Republican | incumbent |
| Fredrick Love Democratic | challenger |
| Colt Shelby Libertarian | challenger |
Advanced unopposed in the March 3 Republican primary. Arkansas elects the lieutenant governor separately.
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Signed the 2023 LEARNS Act, which created the Educational Freedom Account voucher program letting state funds go to expenses such as private school tuition; defended it in the October 2026 debate as improving outcomes for students.
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the incumbent Republican governor of Arkansas, seeking a second term. A former White House press secretary under President Trump, she was elected in 2022 with about 63% of the vote. Her first term included the LEARNS Act, which created the state's school voucher program, and income-tax rate cuts signed in 2023 and 2026.[1][2][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Sanders is the daughter of Mike Huckabee, who was governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. She graduated from Little Rock Central High School and earned a degree from Ouachita Baptist University in 2004.[1][7]
Before running for office she worked in political campaigns and consulting, including a role at the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush, as a founding partner of Second Street Strategies, as national political director of her father's 2008 presidential campaign, as a senior adviser to Tim Pawlenty's 2012 presidential campaign, and as campaign manager of her father's 2016 presidential campaign.[7] She was also a senior adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.[7][1]
In the Trump administration, Sanders was named deputy press secretary in January 2017 and was promoted to press secretary on July 21, 2017. She stepped down at the end of June 2019.[7]
Sanders won the 2022 governor's race with 62.96% of the vote and became governor on January 10, 2023. She is the first woman to serve as governor of Arkansas.[1][7]
On the record
Official actions: bills, executive acts, filings and court records.
- bill2023-03-08 · Signed the LEARNS Act (SB294, Act 237 of 2023), her education overhaul that created the Educational Freedom Account voucher program and raised the minimum teacher salary.[8][9]
- bill2023-04-10 · Signed SB549, lowering income-tax rates for individuals, trusts, estates and corporations, and HB1045, phasing out the throwback rule.[10]
- bill2026-05-06 · Signed HB1001 and SB1, both titled 'To Reduce the Income Tax Rates for Individuals, Trusts, Estates, and Corporations.'[11]
In their own words
Priorities
- Education and school choice, including the LEARNS Act and the Educational Freedom Account voucher program.[5][6]
- Cutting income-tax rates; her campaign cites cutting taxes as part of her record.[12][10][11]
- Public safety: her campaign manager cited 'backing law enforcement' as part of her record, and the planned 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County, which is on hold, has been a priority of hers.[12]
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/sarah-huckabee-sanders
Compare all 3 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.Sarah Huckabee Sanders · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 2.Challengers call Arkansas governor's policy priorities misplaced in debate · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-10-13 News report
- 3.SB294 (Act 237 of 2023), the LEARNS Act · Arkansas State Legislature · 2023-03-07 Official record
- 4.Sarah Huckabee Sanders · Wikipedia · 2026-10-19 Reference
- 5.Arkansas Democrats seeking nomination for governor focus on voucher program, economic development · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-02-16 News report
- 6.Challengers call Arkansas governor's policy priorities misplaced in debate · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-10-13 News report
- 7.Sarah Huckabee Sanders · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 8.SB294 (Act 237 of 2023), the LEARNS Act · Arkansas State Legislature · 2023-03-07 Official record
- 9.Governor signs LEARNS Act; rulemaking process begins · Talk Business & Politics · 2023-03-08 News report
- 10.Sanders Signs SB549 and HB1045 · Office of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders · 2023-04-10 Official record
- 11.Bills Signed: HB1001, SB1 · Office of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders · 2026-05-06 Official record
- 12.Love vows order halting school vouchers if elected Arkansas governor · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-06-26 News report