Sarah Huckabee Sanders has never held public office, but the Arkansas native did spend two years working as President Donald Trump's press secretary.
She earned the Republican nomination for governor, a position her father Mike held from 1996 to 2007, and is running against Democrat Chris Jones and Libertarian Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. in the Nov. 8 general election.
Like her opponents, Sanders has a connection to Pine Bluff. She grew up in the city until the age of 5, as her father transitioned from pastoring Immanuel Baptist Church in Pine Bluff to leading Beech Street First Baptist Church in Texarkana.
A graduate of Ouachita Baptist University, Sanders has made education a campaign platform, often referring to it when asked how she would solve specific problems.
All candidates were invited to meet face-to-face with a Commercial reporter to answer questions ahead of Election Day or, in lieu of an interview, fill out a questionnaire. Sanders chose the latter.
The questions, which highlight issues in Pine Bluff and southeast Arkansas, and Sanders' answers are below:
Commercial: Jefferson County is a much different educational landscape than in the last 20 years. For example, kids in Altheimer and Wabbaseka now attend school 14 to 18 miles away in the Pine Bluff School District, which last year took in the former Dollarway School District. The PBSD and Dollarway districts were taken over by the state Department of Education. What is your solution for strengthening school districts, making schools more accessible to kids in rural areas and keeping those from the threat of either closure or state takeover?
Sanders: "I believe every child growing up in Arkansas should have access to a quality education and path to prosperity – not be trapped in a lifetime of government dependency. Instead of allowing kids to check boxes and push them through a broken system, we must help them develop a skill set that prepares them to become contributing members of society. We must truly educate our kids, not indoctrinate them. How we educate our kids will determine our state's future. It's why I have announced Arkansas LEARNS -- my bold plan to improve childhood literacy, empower parents, hold schools accountable, prepare students for the workforce as we implement policies to create good, high-paying jobs, and prioritize safety so that our kids are protected in the classroom."
Commercial: How important is providing K-12 teachers with a more competitive salary than they're receiving now?
Sanders: "We must have a new approach to education, not just a one-off. It's critically important for Arkansas to recruit and retain good, hardworking teachers who want to see our kids prosper, which is why I support raising teacher pay and using other smart incentives to reward hardworking teachers."
Commercial: You have a connection to Pine Bluff in some manner. It is the largest city in Southeast Arkansas, and the region tends to thrive economically as Pine Bluff does -- but it's been a while since that happened. How do you address making Pine Bluff a destination city, as we've seen cities in Northwest Arkansas lift up that region and Osceola and Blytheville start to lift up northeast Arkansas?
Sanders: "Pine Bluff is special to me. It's the first place I ever called home. As governor, I will work daily to be our state's chief salesperson. Pine Bluff and the communities across Arkansas have so much to offer but recruiting businesses must start with an improved workforce system so that companies know they can find the skilled workers they need. An industry-led workforce system that focuses on directing students toward high-paying jobs will be a key component of my administration."
Commercial: UAPB and Southeast Arkansas College offer programs to help students attain high-skilled, high-paying jobs, but what will you do to help lower the unemployment rate in Southeast Arkansas and help those who may have been restricted from low-paying jobs (example: those who have failed drug tests or been jailed for minor offenses) in the recent past attain them and improve their situations at the same time?
Sanders: "The most important thing we can do to improve economic growth in Arkansas is redesign our workforce system, and ensure that those who want to work, have pathways to achieving success. Using an industry-led approach that focuses on providing opportunities for Arkansans across the state to be trained and enter the workforce will be a top priority. In addition, as governor, I will also prioritize making our entire state safer and stronger by reducing violent crime. Making Arkansas one of the best states in the country to live, work, and raise a family must include making sure families feel safe. And right now, our state has a serious crime problem. Violent crime is on the rise and deadly, illegal drugs are flooding our communities, which is why I will close loopholes in our parole system, be an advocate for victims, support our men and women in law enforcement, and never defund the police."
Commercial: Where do you stand on Arkansas Ballot Issue 4, the question of whether to legalize recreational marijuana in the state?
Sanders: "I don't see a benefit in making recreational usage of marijuana legal in Arkansas. Our country has a raging drug crisis and marijuana is a gateway drug. Overdoses were the leading cause of death in 2021 for 18- to 45-year-olds. My focus as governor will be to look at how to reduce the drug crisis, not make it worse."
Commercial: The Southeast Arkansas District Fair has struggled financially since the covid-19 pandemic. Fairs do a lot to introduce children to agriculture, home economics and other ways of life. How will you help improve fairs and make them more profitable?
Sanders: "I love Arkansas. It's the reason why I am running. And one of the things I love about our state are the many fairs and festivals that make our communities unique and special. I grew up attending the Southeast Arkansas District Fair in Pine Bluff, King Biscuit Blues in Helena, the Hope Watermelon Festival, the Arkansas State Fair in Little Rock, and the Four States Fair in Texarkana -- just to name a few -- and now I'm taking my kids to these same events. In addition to serving as our state's chief salesperson to recruit businesses to grow good-paying jobs across Arkansas, I will strive to promote our wonderful fairs and festivals and establish our state as a leader in outdoor recreation, improving access for all Arkansans to world-class hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, cycling, and mountain biking."
Commercial: What else would you like to tell voters in Pine Bluff and Southeast Arkansas?
Sanders: "Arkansans want a fighter who will push back against the failed radical left policies coming from Washington, but also a leader who will defend our freedom and create opportunity for all Arkansans. As governor, I will lower taxes, foster an environment for Arkansas' businesses to grow, champion good schools while empowering parents, and support law enforcement. Together, we are going to take Arkansas to the top and make this state one of the best places to live, work, and raise a family."