Sanders returns to Texarkana as city becomes “Capital for a Day”

TEXARKANA, Ark. — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders returned to her childhood hometown Wednesday, declaring Texarkana, Arkansas the state’s Capital for a Day. The city is the 19th to receive the designation since she took office.

Sanders delivered opening remarks at the Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce’s State of Lithium luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn before heading downtown for a meet and greet at Zapata’s restaurant on Walnut Street.

“It’s a pretty incredible moment to be back in Texarkana and to declare Texarkana, Arkansas as the capital for a day, which holds even more weight than a normal capital for a day,” Sanders told the crowd at Zapata’s, noting the visit fell on the 30th anniversary of the day her father, Mike Huckabee, became governor.

Sanders touted the results of the Arkansas LEARNS Act, calling it “one of the most transformational pieces of education legislation anywhere in the country.”

“We have invested more in public education through Arkansas LEARNS than we ever have in our state’s history,” Sanders said, claiming student test scores rose 20% in every grade and every subject this past year.

The Governor also pointed to teacher pay, saying every teacher’s salary has been raised by at least $2,000 and that the state’s Merit Incentive Fund has awarded more than $50 million in bonuses to over 12,000 educators. “That’s real money. That’s life-changing money,” she said.

Sanders and her cabinet spent the full day in town. Her schedule included:

8:30 a.m. | GoodLuxe Coffee
9:25 a.m. | Texarkana Welcome Center
11:30 a.m. | State of Lithium luncheon, Hilton Garden Inn (Chamber of Commerce)
12:00 p.m. | Meet and greet at Zapata’s, downtown Texarkana, Ark.
2:00 p.m. | Tour and roundtable at Goins Plastic Source
3:30 p.m. | Meeting with local law enforcement alongside Col. Mike Hagar