Introducing HUCKABEE-SANDERS

As Asa Hutchinson neared the end of his second and final term, an election was soon to be held for the next Governor. One of the running candidates, who soon won the election, was Sarah Huckabee Sanders, with 63% of the vote.

Sanders is an American politician under the Republican party. She is the first female governor in Arkansas, and the daughter of another former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee. Before running for governor, she was the 31st White House Press secretary, serving under the former president Donald Trump. Sanders was the third woman to hold this position.

While in her current office, she plans to prohibit sanctuary cities, which shelter undocumented immigrants from federal immigration enforcement, stop the “Green New Deal” proposal to address climate change issues, lower state income tax, and reform education, which she believes will promote law and order.

“Education reform will be the hallmark of my administration.”

Sanders said, “We will create opportunity for every student in the state of Arkansas. No student should ever be trapped in a failing school.”

Sanders plans for education reform through specifically including an increase in school choice, the choice for parents to choose the education program their children attend. She is adamant on parents promoting school choice because “public schools do not belong to the bureaucrats in D.C.” Along with this, Sanders has also called for an increase in student literacy rates.

Through promoting tourism and drawing attention to Arkansas’ “natural beauty,” Sanders wishes to increase the economy for citizens to see cuts in their state income tax, which in the end, she hopes to eliminate altogether. All of the bills she has passed so far are listed here: https://governor.arkansas.gov/ our-office/executive-orders/.

In her first week of office, she has prohibited CRT, the critical race theory, from being taught in public education, ended COVID-19 orders, froze new government hiring and regulations, and increased strict hardlines against China.

The public has had various types of responses towards Sanders. On January 20th, @ SarahHuckabee tweeted, “It’s time for the GOP to reclaim the moral high ground on education. Democrats trapping kids in failing schools and a lifetime in poverty is wrong. Empowering parents to put their kids on a path to success with a quality education is right and exactly what I’ll do as governor.”

Then @ThirdWayKessler replied, saying, “Arkansas ranks 47th in education. Please explain how this is Democrats’ fault.”.

But @KyHarrod1 replied to the initial tweet, saying, “Gotta play the hand you’re dealt. She just became our Gov. best wishes for her success!!!”

The 47th governor has now gone into office and already begun working. However, despite the public showing mixed feelings about her thus far, she shows no signs of backing down.

Story by Ivana Wang and Gabrielle Smith