FILE – Former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, right, greets supporters at an event for her campaign for governor at a Colton’s Steak House on Sept. 10 in Cabot Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Friday endorsed Sarah Sanders’ bid to succeed him as governor, days after the former White House press secretary’s path to the Republican nomination was cleared. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo, File)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Friday endorsed Sarah Sanders’ bid to succeed him as governor, days after the former White House press secretary’s path to the Republican nomination was cleared.
Hutchinson, who is barred by term limits from running for reelection, praised Sanders and said he’s known her most of her life. Sanders became the only Republican left running for governor after Attorney General Leslie Rutledge dropped her bid. Several Democrats are also running for governor.
“Sarah has earned the Republican nomination and I’m delighted today to endorse her for governor,” Hutchinson said in a statement. “The state of Arkansas will be in good hands with Sarah as governor, and she has my full support.”
Sanders is running with former President Donald Trump’s endorsement and is campaigning primarily on national issues. Hutchinson has been in the national spotlight by distancing himself from the former president.
Sanders has been lining up endorsements from the state’s top Republicans since Rutledge’s exit from the race. Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin — who dropped out of the governor’s race in February — on Friday also backed her bid, and Sanders later endorsed Griffin’s candidacy for attorney general.
Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman earlier this week endorsed Sanders.
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