Who is Sarah Huckabee Sanders and what is Sanders running on in the 2026 Arkansas Governor race?

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the Republican candidate for Arkansas governor, and the incumbent. Governor of Arkansas since 2023; former White House press secretary under Trump; unopposed in the March 2026 primary. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

The race

• The seat: Incumbent Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) seeking a second term.
• Rating: Solid R (Cook, Inside Elections).
• Polling: Sanders 45, Love 40, Shelby (L) 7, undecided 8 (Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College, Aug 11 to 12, 2026).

Why Sanders is ahead

• Incumbent in a deep-red state with Trump’s endorsement; won 2022 with 63%.
• Overwhelming money edge: $7.8M raised vs Love’s ~$209K; $4.7M cash on hand vs $2,493 (July 31, 2026).
• Only poll is closer than expected (45 to 40), with Libertarian Shelby at 7%.
• Love attacks Sanders’s LEARNS Act voucher program and proposed Franklin County prison.

What Sanders is running on

• Education. Created Educational Freedom Accounts through the 2023 LEARNS Act (44,000+ students this year).
• Crime / prisons. Proposed a new state prison in Franklin County.
• Trump. Endorsed by Trump in November 2025.

The other candidates

• Fred Love (D)
• Colt Shelby (L)

Every race

See every Senate and governor race on the ballot, with each candidate’s chance of winning: the 2026 midterms at a glance.