Donald Trump on Thursday announced his campaign’s surprising newest hire: the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, one of his opponents in the GOP race until earlier this month, is on board as a senior adviser.
“I have great respect for Governor Mike Huckabee and we have a mutual admiration for our wonderful families,” the billionaire said in a statement released by his campaign. “It is great to have his daughter, Sarah, join the campaign.”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders previously served as campaign manager for her father’s 2016 White House bid and was national political director for his campaign when he ran for the GOP nomination in 2008. In 2012, she worked as a senior advisor to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty throughout his presidential bid and served in some capacity on the campaigns of both U.S. senators from her home state of Arkansas.
“I volunteered to join Mr. Trump’s campaign because he is a champion of working families; not Washington-Wall Street elites,” she said Thursday. “Like the other Republican candidates, Mr. Trump is pro-life, pro-marriage, and will appoint conservatives to the courts.”
She added, “What makes Mr. Trump my choice for president is he will break the grip of the donor class on our government and make it accountable to working families again. I’m honored to help Mr. Trump make America great again.”
Huckabee Sanders’ father exited the race in early February after drawing just 1.8 percent support in the Iowa caucuses. He has not yet endorsed a candidate, though he penned an op-ed earlier this week where he said the billionaire’s wildly successful “candidacy is no fluke.”
“Many voters are finally understanding that the three magic words in politics are these: Follow the money,” he wrote. “The reason things don’t change regardless of who is in power, regardless of the speeches, ads and promises is because candidates are funded by the same bunch of Wall Street big banks, hedge fund managers, and special interests. Mr. Trump is paying for his own campaign and voters are encouraged that no one will own him.”
