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Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is projected to win the Arkansas Republican gubernatorial primary, the Associated Press projects.
Endorsed early on in the race by former President Trump, Sanders is hoping to replace incumbent Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is term-limited and has served as governor of the state since 2015.
Incumbent Arkansas Republican Sen. John Boozman defeated his primary challengers as he seeks to retain his Senate seat later this year against his Democratic opponent, the Associated Press said.
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, Sanders, who announced she was running for governor in January 2021, consistently polled ahead of Francis “Doc” Washburn, her primary challenger. Washburn is a former radio talk show host who now has his own national podcast.
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Former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders (L), Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark. (R)
(Steven Ferdman/Getty Images, Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Sanders, a mother of three, served as White House press secretary in the Trump administration from 2017 to 2019. Sanders’ father, Mike Huckabee, served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. Should she defeat her Democratic opponent in the race for governor later this year, Sanders will become the first female governor in Arkansas history.
Monday was the deadline for campaigns to file their monthly fundraising reports with the state. Sanders reported having more than $7 million cash on hand for her campaign at the end of April. Sanders’ campaign reported spending more than $838,000 last month. Far outpacing her Republican and Democratic challengers, she has raised nearly $15 million since launching her campaign.
FILE – In this Monday, March 11, 2019, file photo, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders speaks during a news briefing at the White House, in…