Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R., Ark.) is set to endorse former president Donald Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination at an event running counter to the third Republican presidential debate this week.
Sanders will throw her support behind the GOP frontrunner at his rally in Hialeah, Fla., on Wednesday night around the same time the third debate will kick off, a source familiar with the endorsement told NBC News. This will be the third presidential debate Trump will have skipped and counterprogrammed with a public event of his own. Instead of participating in the first two debates, Trump spoke to unionized auto workers in Detroit, Mich., and was interviewed by Tucker Carlson on the former Fox News host’s talk show on X.
“It’s not a question between right versus left anymore,” Sanders said in a statement. “It’s normal versus crazy, and President Biden and the left are doubling down on crazy. The time has come to return to the normal policies of the Trump era which created a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America, and that’s why I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for President.”
After serving as the White House press secretary during the Trump administration from 2017 to 2019, Sanders still has a working relationship with the former president.
“We had great success in the White House and it’s an honor to have Sarah’s endorsement,” Trump said in a statement. “I look forward to having her at the big rally in Hialeah this Wednesday.”
Although the two are on friendly terms, the Trump campaign is reportedly frustrated with Sanders for not endorsing him earlier in the race. “MAL has been furious with her for months for going this long without endorsing,” an adviser said. “There’s always a way back in Trump world, but I’m not sure if President Trump will ever view her the same again.”
The major gubernatorial endorsement was reported on Monday, the same day that Iowa governor Kim Reynolds officially endorsed Florida governor Ron DeSantis for the 2024 Republican ticket.