Sarah Huckabee Sanders shows up to govs shindig as Arkansas rumors swirl

Sarah Huckabee Sanders made an appearance Sunday at an exclusive Republican Governors Association-hosted retreat, further stoking anticipation that the former White House press secretary may pursue a bid for statewide office.

Sanders, who is seen as a possible 2022 Arkansas gubernatorial candidate, attended a dinner hosted by the family of the late Fred Malek, a major GOP donor and former RGA finance chairman who died in March. The dinner kicked off a two-day retreat the RGA is hosting in Aspen, Colo., which is expected to draw an array of GOP governors and donors.

Sanders departed the White House last month, setting off a wave of speculation that she was interested in mounting a campaign for the Arkansas governorship. President Donald Trump is urging her to go for it, tweeting that "she would be fantastic.”

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sanders’ father, confirmed her interest in a recent interview with conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt.

“She doesn’t know. I mean, that’s the honest answer,” Huckabee said. “The truth is, she has not had time to come up for air in the past three years. So she’s going to take some time to get her kids enrolled in school in Arkansas for the fall, go to vacation, just have some downtime — which is something she hasn't done. And, you know, then she’ll start exploring."

Sanders' potential candidacy and support from the president have complicated the political futures of other Republicans who've been eyeing the position, including Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin.

Sanders is not slated to speak at the RGA event, which concludes Tuesday evening. Governors are expected to hold a series of closed-door discussions, some focusing on 2019 and 2020 races. Vice President Mike Pence is expected to address the retreat on Tuesday.