WASHINGTON -- Two weeks before he is to announce his presidential-bid decision in Hope, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has hired senior staff members, including his daughter and Arkansas' lieutenant governor.
Huckabee has not formally revealed his plans regarding the 2016 race or filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission creating a campaign committee, but he has urged supporters to meet him in his hometown May 5 to learn whether he will seek the Republican nomination.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Huckabee's daughter, would manage the campaign and Chip Saltsman would be a senior adviser, longtime spokesman Alice Stewart said. Stewart said she will serve as Huckabee's communication's director if he announces.
Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, a former congressman, would work as a senior political adviser, Stewart said.
Griffin, who has held various jobs in Republican politics, said specifics about his role in a potential campaign haven't been finalized. He said he plans to be in Hope May 5.
"We haven't worked out all the details, but I want to do everything I can to be helpful," Griffin said. "He's running for president potentially, one day, and if he does that I want to help him any way I can. I'm a big fan."
Griffin said he doesn't see the added role as conflicting with his part-time job as lieutenant governor. Griffin served as chairman of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in Arkansas in 2012 while in Congress.
"I don't think of this as any different," Griffin said. "I am supremely interested in who our next president is and I plan to be involved until Election Day."
Bob Wickers would return as pollster and media consultant, Stewart said. Jim Terry would be national political director and Hogan Gidley would be senior communications adviser, she said.
"That's what we're announcing at this point," she said. "More news on that front possibly to come."
Many of the named staff members were part of Huckabee's 2008 bid when Saltsman served as his campaign manager and Sanders as his national field director. Stewart has repeatedly worked for Huckabee since acting as his spokesman in the governor's office.
Huckabee is scheduled to announce his decision at 10 a.m. at University of Arkansas Community College at Hope's Hempstead Hall, 2500 S. Main St. If he announces a presidential bid, his campaign headquarters will be in Little Rock, Stewart said. Huckabee is a Florida resident with a home in the state's panhandle.
Huckabee is one of at least a dozen Republicans who have said they are interested in running. U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida have announced bids in recent weeks. Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is the only prominent Democrat to announce a bid, although several others have expressed interest.
The staffing decisions come after several steps Huckabee has taken in recent months to prepare for a potential bid.
In January, Huckabee left Fox News and his weekly talk show after six years, saying it was the honorable thing to do as he considered a second presidential bid. On Wednesday, he announced that his nationally syndicated radio commentary would no longer be broadcast starting May 1.
In mid-March, longtime Huckabee treasurer Bryan Jeffrey of Little Rock filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission creating Pursuing America's Greatness, a super political action committee that can raise and spend unlimited amounts on candidates. Jeffrey is also the treasurer of Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPAC and was treasurer for the Huckabee for President campaign committee in 2008.
Huckabee told reporters Friday that he had formed an exploratory committee earlier this month. The committee, named Prosperity for All, allows Huckabee to raise money while testing the waters for a bid.
Metro on 04/23/2015