Sarah Huckabee Sanders launches new website amid campaign speculation

Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders rolled out a campaign-style website on Monday amid speculation that she is considering a run for governor of Arkansas. 

Sanders, who signed on as a Fox News contributor last week, reportedly began giving more thought to a potential campaign after announcing her departure from the White House in June. President Trump has also encouraged a potential gubernatorial bid, tweeting that same month that he hoped she decided to run.

….She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas – she would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2019

It’s not unusual for television personalities to create personal websites to market themselves. Sanders did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment. 

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) was reelected to a second term in 2018, and the office won’t come up to a vote again until 2022. But Hutchinson won’t be able to seek reelection that year due to term limits, leaving room for a fresh face to enter the race. 

What’s more, creating a personal website, like the one unveiled by Sanders on Monday, allows prospective candidates to begin building email lists that could be used down the line to solicit donations and rally support. 

If she does eventually mount a bid for the governor’s mansion, Sanders would enter the race with wide name recognition and deep political connections. 

Her father, Mike Huckabee, served as the state’s governor from 1996 until 2007, and her ties to the president could come in handy, especially in a state that Trump won by roughly 27 points in 2016.