How Sarah Sanders Is Putting Arkansas On The Map

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Less than one month into her first term as Arkansas governor, Sarah Sanders was tapped to deliver the Republican response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union, a speaking slot typically granted to rising stars in the party with the intent to elevate them onto the national stage. But stepping onto the national stage doesn’t appear to be Sanders’s goal—at least for now.

Arkansas was used as an example in her address to show what Republicans are doing across America. “Here in Arkansas and across America, Republicans are working to end the policy of trapping kids in failing schools and sentencing them to a lifetime of poverty,” Sanders said.  ”We will educate, not indoctrinate our kids, and put students on a path to success.”

The interview lasted an hour and the ex-White House press secretary avoided questions about the 2024 elections, focusing instead on Arkansas.

Already, Sanders has tangible accomplishments to point at. One month ago, Sanders’s signature legislation was passed by the Arkansas state legislature. This ambitious overhaul of Arkansas schools was signed into law. Corey DeAngelis is a prominent advocate for school choice and said that Arkansas is now the “Best State in America.” “gold standard for educational freedom.”

The bill is a kitchen-sink approach to education reform—in addition to establishing universal school choice, it yanks obscene sexual materials and critical race theory from classrooms, sets stringent new learning standards, and raises the base teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000.

“This is what bold conservative education legislation looks like,” Sanders spoke from the governor’s house, where she watched the bill debate take place on the opposite side of the Capitol.

Sanders claims that Arkansas in its entirety can be the “blueprint” For what conservative states could do.

Sanders is joining a group of star Republican governors who are making progress by focusing on schools. Armed with a legislature that is staunchly conservative, she’s charging ahead other states. Florida’s Ron DeSantis is still fighting to get the sorts of reforms passed by Arkansas in Sanders’s first few weeks over hurdles in his legislature—his Universal school choice bill, for example, faces even some Republican opposition. Sanders was eager to make herself the leader of her long Arkansas campaign. “Education Governor” And so far, it is doing exactly that.

Sanders’s rising profile has made her an attractive target for Democratic activists and politicians. Washington Post Columnists are writing hit pieces You might be wondering why anyone would choose Arkansas. “Good luck recruiting Californians for Arkansas, Sarah Sanders,” Philip Bump. Soon after Sanders’s national address in the Senate, Gavin Newsom, California Democratic governor, was elected. Taken aim Arkansas’s crime rates and last week were Take shots Twitter: Arkansas legislative pieces.

Sanders admits to being more scrutinized in her state. But she doesn’t see that as a negative. “We outkick our coverage, frankly, in a lot of places,” She spoke.

“When it comes to politicians on the national stage for a small state, we have some pretty big names out there,” The governor stated. “I’m sure you’ll find people that will disagree, but my opinion is that it’s a good thing for our state, and I plan on using that platform to better us.”

Sanders claims that critics cannot be avoided. “I try to tune it out and stay focused on the objectives in front of us. There are people who wouldn’t care what’s in the bill, they’re gonna hate it simply because I’m associated with it. They don’t want to see me be successful. Certainly that’s disappointing, but not surprising, and it’s not gonna slow us down from doing things that we feel like are the right thing to do.”

As White House press secretary, Sanders improved her ability to outshine critics. Not only was Sanders the longest-serving Trump administration press secretary—she was the only person to hold the job for more than a year—she was also the most successful, taking over as the daily briefing became a media feeding frenzy and adding a semblance of order to the chaos. Staff, including her former boss, still love her.

Sanders is taking advantage the lessons she learned at the White House but her former colleagues tell us that she also has the ability to fluently discuss policy.

“We used to tell her, you need to get more detail,” An ex-colleague at the White House said this. “Now the opposite is the case. She’s gone from somebody who was laser-focused on communications with a thin understanding of the policy to somebody who is a policy expert. It’s impressive to me.”

Sanders said that it’s not her first career transformation. Sanders says she didn’t expect to become Trump’s spokesperson when she joined the Donald Trump campaign.

“I was much more on the strategy and political operation side, and really didn’t see myself as a front person or the public-facing individual,” She elaborated.

Sanders joined Trump’s 2016 campaign to help build South-South coalitions. But after making a few TV appearances with him, Trump called her to tell her he wanted to see her every day on TV. Trump appointed her to the White House as press secretary, having Sanders served as his deputy.

It is not an easy story to see how she rose to the Arkansas governorship. Sanders announced her candidacy for Arkansas governor in January 2021. Sanders was the prohibitive favorite right from the start and needed two years to prepare. It was during this period that Sanders decided that she wanted the job. “Education Governor”—she not only became an expert on the issue but also gained confidence that she had to make it her trademark legislation.

“I went to all 75 counties,” Sanders said. “Everywhere I went as I traveled on the campaign for two years, every community wants their kids to do better. If we don’t have a good education system in place, then we are not setting our kids up for success.”

Republicans claim that Sanders has brought an Arkansas victory to the table. “new energy” The legislature. “The whole atmosphere and mood of everything is different,” Bart Hester is the leader of the state’s upper chamber. “It’s such a fun energy, an exciting and new energy. It’s fun to come in everyday.”

Hester said Sanders’s defeat by the opposition of the teachers’ unions was not a match for the onslaught against the education bill.

“We have a governor now where members are more scared of her than they are their superintendents or the teacher union—we’ve never experienced that,” Hester stated. “They don’t want to disappoint her—they know that she’s super popular, they don’t want to be the guy that was against their number-one priority.”

Sanders laughs off suggestions that Sanders’ education plan was a “sham”.Copycat” of legislation championed DeSantis and another high-profile Republican Governor. “Hard to copy when ours is much bigger and goes much further,” Sanders said. She said she had nothing to say negative about her Republican counterpart in Florida and that there is a positive. “great sense of camaraderie and willingness to share best practices” Between her and DeSantis who has emerged as Trump’s chief competitor in the Republican Party.

Sanders is yet to weigh in on who the Republican presidential nominee should be in 2024—her “focus is solely on Arkansas,” She said it in the same manner that every upwardly mobile, ambitious politician does. Trump was her ex-boss. reportedly Sanders has not responded to my request for her endorsement. Sanders was called in recent weeks.

She also stated that she “maintains a great relationship” Trump and left the door open to Trump for an endorsement in future.

“When the time comes, maybe, but right now, I don’t want to do anything that takes away from the huge agenda list that we have to get done here in Arkansas,” Sanders said. “I don’t intend on slowing down on that front at any point soon. And so I don’t want to do anything that takes away, not just my attention, but also the attention of what we’re accomplishing.”

Sanders’ former White House colleague says she doesn’t anticipate Sanders’ 2024 neutrality changing anytime soon. “Trump’s not her boss anymore,” “The former colleague said. “Her boss is the people of Arkansas, and that’s where I assume her priorities will lie.”

Republicans in Arkansas appreciate her focus on Arkansas, and know she is putting their work in the Capitol first. “Everyone wants a minute with her—she can be Sarah the national celebrity, or Sarah the governor, and she only has so many minutes in a day,” Hester said. “She is spending those minutes as Sarah the governor.”

Matt McKee, Republican State Senator, claims Sanders has the entire legislature bullish about Arkansas.

“I know Florida’s been at the forefront, Texas has done things, but Arkansas can be the place,” McKee stated.

Sanders said that Arkansas has made her more fond of Arkansas since her return with her family to Arkansas. She has improved her ability to promote Arkansas to visitors after she visited each county during her campaign. The governor boasts that she can point to the best place to eat in any Arkansas town—this reporter was sent to CJ’s Butcher Boy Burgers Russellville

Sanders is enjoying a smoother dining experience in Arkansas. So far she doesn’t think she’s been. denied serviceShe was at the Red Hen restaurant in Virginia in 2019, as she was then.

“You know, knock on wood, I have not been asked to leave any restaurant so far,” Sanders said. “It’s amazing to be home.”