LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Sarah Huckabee Sanders made history on Tuesday after she was officially sworn in as the 47th governor of Arkansas.
Hundreds gathered at the Arkansas State Capitol to watch the historic moment, with familiar faces like Sen. John Boozman, Sen. Tom Cotton, and Sanders' father and former governor, Mike Huckabee all in attendance.
"This day is especially notable, because I happen to be the youngest governor serving anywhere in the country [and] the very first woman to serve as governor of Arkansas," Sanders said.
With Sanders now sworn in as the next governor for the Natural State, the former White House press secretary is the first woman to lead Arkansas and is now the youngest governor in the United States at 40 years old.
Despite the historic moment, the new governor said that her focus is instead on the policies that she'll bring to Arkansas.
"I don't want to dismiss the significance of any of that [history], I did not seek this office to be the first anything. I ran to make Arkansas first in everything," she said.
During the address, Sanders also promised to enact multiple executive orders centered around a political hiring freeze and prohibiting "political indoctrination" of Arkansas schoolchildren.
Following the inauguration, Sanders signed seven different executive orders aimed at banning things such as critical race theory in schools and the usage of "Latinx" in government documents.
The first two of the orders focus on limiting the expansion of government and implementing a hiring freeze for state government. Former Governor Asa Hutchinson also began his first term by enacting a freeze by executive order.
The remaining executive orders address the following:
- Executive order 3: A complete and exhaustive list of existing executive orders to review
- Executive order 4:Implementing new measures to strengthen workforce employment and decrease fraud
- The executive order provides the Department of Commerce to "review and implement measures to enhance the integrity" of the unemployment benefits program.
- Executive order 5: "Rooting out" critical race theory, discrimination, and indoctrination in classrooms
- The executive order claims that critical race theory is "antithetical to the traditional American values of neutrality, equality, and fairness."
- Executive order 6: Banning TikTok from government devices
- Executive order 7: Rejection of the term "Latinx" in any state document
Sanders, who is well-known for her connection to former president Donald Trump, has separated herself over the months and has instead said that her focus is on Arkansas.
"I tell people all the time I want to be the chief salesperson of Arkansas," Sanders said.
Sanders, who is taking over the job from 46th governor Asa Hutchinson, delivered her inaugural address on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol.
The Natural State's newest governor has been focused on education, cutting the state's income tax, and improving public safety.
Leading up to her appointment as governor, Sanders selected an official from Florida to lead Arkansas' education agency.
The governor picked Jacob Olivia, who worked as senior chancellor at the Florida Department of Education.
Alongside Olivia, Sanders also selected Judge Joseph Wood to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Transformation and Shared Services.
Additionally, Sanders has named Col. Mike Hagar to serve as her nominee for Arkansas' Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and shared that A.J. Gary will continue to serve as Arkansas' director for the Department of Emergency Management.