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Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders won the Republican nomination for Arkansas governor on Tuesday, per the AP.
Why it matters: Sanders, the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, is the most well-known former Trump official to notch a primary win so far this cycle.
- Her entry into the race back in January 2021 scored an instant endorsement from former President Trump and essentially cleared the field, leaving only radio personality Francis "Doc" Washburn, whom she defeated handily.
Flashback: Sanders often clashed with reporters during her time as press secretary, and admitted to special counsel Robert Mueller that she lied during a press conference about FBI agents losing confidence in former director James Comey, Axios’ Alayna Treene wrote.
By the numbers: Sanders raised $13 million and spent $8.5 million as of May 14, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Most of that cash has come from out-of-state donors.
The big picture: Sanders now becomes the likely favorite to replace Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson in the red state. Hutchinson, who was term-limited, is considering running for president.