Sarah Sanders for Vice-President​

by Jim Buckley

Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Source: Source: Arkansa Governor’s Office

At this point, Donald J. Trump looks to be this year’s Republican presidential candidate. Any number of things can happen between now and the party’s nominating July convention in Milwaukee, but if Mr.Trump is the chosen candidate, he no doubt has already been smothered with VP advice (not that he takes anyone’s advice). He should, however, take my advice and shut the search down. His smartest selection by farwould be Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the one person(other than his wife, Melania, that Mr. Trump could and would take advice from).

Yes, there are other choices that most of us can or could live with, so let’s look at each potential running mate:

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who proudlycalls herself a farmer and a rancher, served as a member of the South Dakota state house of representatives and as a Republican U.S. Representative from 2011 to 1019before becoming governor of the state. Her conservative credentials are nearly impeccable. She was written off for a time when she chose to veto early transgender legislation but eventually signed off on it when it read more to her liking. She could be President one day.

S.C. Senator Tim Scott served as a U.S. Representative for two years until resigning when appointed U.S. Senator in January 2013, which is what he has been ever since. He has an infectious smile and is an overall good guy, but I don’t see him as presidential material.

S.C. Representative Nancy Mace has an interesting academic background having attended Trident Technical College, in Charleston, S.C., and The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina; she earned amaster’s degree at the University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. She also attended Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication and has written a book: “In the Company of Men, A Woman at the Citadel”; Ms. Mace is only 47 years old so has time to consider her future but doesn’t have enough accomplishments to brag aboutyet.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis is a U.S. Navy veteran and a graduate from Yale and attended Harvard. You already know plenty about him and he’d make a fine president. For the moment though, especially since he is and has been a terrific governor and is a resident of the same state as Trump, it wouldn’t be a prudent move to choose Mr. DeSantis as a running mate.

Arizona’s U.S. Senate hopeful Kari Lake is the daughter of a teacher and a nurse and grew up in Iowaas one of nine children. Her career path led her to television where she became an evening news anchor on KASZ Channel 10 in Phoenix, Arizona. She’s good, and I’d vote for Ms. Lake, but her having switched from Republican, to Independent, to Democrat and now back to Republican, worries me. Let’s not go there.

Kentucky Senator Dr. Rand Paul was an ophthalmologist by trade and became a U.S. Senator in 2010. He has also run for President and is a noted libertarian. He’d be an excellent choice, but the Republican nominee should not choose a sitting Senator; there’s too much at stake and the Senate must go GOP.

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn attended Yale (you shouldn’t hold that against her). Ms. Blackburn also served as a U.S. Marine from 2003 to 2007 whereupon she participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ditto on her Senate career: it’s too valuable to give up.

NY Rep Elise Stefanik has been mentioned as a possible VP, but she really doesn’t have conservative credentials, having attended Harvard, and served as a staffer in the George W. Bush administration. Shecouldn’t help Trump in New York anyway.

So, it’s back to Ms. Huckabee-Sanders, who served asTrump’s press secretary for two years, got married topolitical consultant Bryan Sanders, had kids (Scarlett, Huck, and George), and now goes by the name of Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She was elected Governor of Arkansas in 2022; her father, Mike Huckabee, also served as governor of the state (from 1996 to 2007).

There must be something in the water in Arkansas; it’s there that Bill Clinton was elected as Attorney General and then governor before running for president. Mike Huckabee ran unsuccessfully for president and now, his daughter, if chosen as GOP vice-presidential running mate, will likely run for the highest office in the land come 2028.

Sarah served as a senior advisor during Trump’s first run in 2016 and endorsed his latest run for president in November 2023. "The time has come,” she announced in her endorsement statement, “to return to the normal policies of the Trump era which created a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America.”

She’s right about that.

In usual political style, the new governor dismisses any talk of her possible VP candidacy, saying during a CBS interview recently, “Look, I absolutely love the job I have. I think it's one of the best jobs I could ever ask for, and I am honored to serve as governor, and I hope I get to do it for the next seven years.” She’s been governor for a little over a year, and coincidentally is not only the first female governor of Arkansas but is also the youngest governor currently in office in the United States.

She easily settles the “age” problem both Biden and Trump present.

Her one-year record is impressive. Ms. Sandershelped overhaul the Arkansas educational system, introduced universal school choice, passed tax cuts, approved new money on building more prison space, and has made concrete progress in seeing to it that repeat offenders are jailed. Ms. Sanders – after just three months in office – was the GOP’s choice to deliver the Republican response to Joe Biden’s State of the Union address last year.

It’s also good to work with someone whose instincts are solid: Sanders was a senior advisor to Senator Tom Cotton (he won in 2014), and to Senator John Boozman(he won too, in 2010).

Sarah was raised in Pine Bluff and Texarkana and isno Ivy Leaguer: she graduated from Little Rock Central High School and received a BA (mastering in political science with a minor in mass communications) from Ouachita Baptist University.

And all I can add to all that is:

Go Sarah!