LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Just a month after taking the reins in Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is stepping into the national spotlight to give the Republican response to Pres. Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
The news of Sanders’ pick to represent the GOP was announced Thursday, with support for the governor coming from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (Rep-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Rep-KY).
“Americans are still struggling from inflation, a border crisis, record crime, and a failing school system. As House Republicans work to fix these problems in Congress with our Commitment to America, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is addressing them head on with her conservative agenda outside of Washington,” McCarthy said in a release.
“The American people deserve better than Democrats’ runaway inflation, surging crime, open borders, and failing schools. I am excited for the nation to hear from Governor Sanders on Tuesday and witness a sharp contrast with this exhausted and failing Administration,” McConnell added.
Sanders, currently the youngest governor in the United States, said she was grateful for the opportunity.
“I am grateful for this opportunity to address the nation and contrast the GOP’s optimistic vision for the future against the failures of President Biden and the Democrats,” she said in a statement. “We are ready to begin a new chapter in the story of America – to be written by a new generation of leaders ready to defend our freedom against the radical left and expand access to quality education, jobs, and opportunity for all.”
The governor quickly saw support from other Arkansas lawmakers, including Sen Tom Cotton, who said Sanders would, “present the Republican case for strong families, economic prosperity, and military strength.”
Sen. John Boozman also applauded Sanders’ selection, saying “under the Biden administration inflation is still staggeringly high, gas prices are increasing and the crisis at our southern border has spiraled out of control. Americans continue struggling to make ends meet. We are grateful to have young conservative leaders like Governor Sarah Sanders who are leading the fight against reckless policies and focusing on making the lives of families better in Arkansas and across the country.”
Boozman added, “in all my years of friendship with Sarah she has constantly put faith, family and Arkansas first. We have a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the future and now all Americans will have the opportunity to hear the Republican vision about the path forward, which I know she will deliver with heart and boldness.”
Sanders will speak live after the president’s address on Tuesday, Feb. 7.