Arkansas Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders was swiftly mocked after she declared she would “make sure” a “kid” in the womb is as safe as those in a classroom.
Sanders—best known as Mike Huckabee's daughter and former President Donald Trump's White House Press Secretary—made the remarks after she won the Republican primary in her state on May 24, the same day 19 children and two teachers were murdered by a lone gunman in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Sanders even referred to the shooting in her victory speech, calling it a “stark and humbling reminder of just how precious life is.”
You can hear her remarks in the video below
\u201cSarah Huckabee Sanders after her gubernatorial primary win: "We will make sure that when a kid is in the womb, they're as safe as they are in a classroom."\n\nUm.\u201d— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1656262449
Sanders said:
"We will make sure that when a kid is in the womb, they're as safe as they are in a classroom, a workplace, a nursing home, because every stage of life has value."
Sanders' remarks are especially notable in light of last week's news that the Supreme Court had published a ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that once protected a person's right to choose reproductive healthcare without excessive government restriction.
While Republicans have heralded the overturning of Roe as a victory for the anti-abortion movement, it nonetheless lies in stark contrast to policies in red states that have been criticized for not valuing the sanctity of human life that anti-abortion advocates claim to be standing for.
For example, the states with the most lenient gun laws in the country are red states. And it is very easy to get a gun in Texas, where the Uvalde shooting took place.
Authorities identified the shooter as an 18-year-old male who was a resident of Uvalde and a student at Uvalde High School. He purchased two semi-automatic rifles through a local gun store last month, just days after his 18th birthday.
In 2021, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a law that loosened gun restrictions, allowing individuals who are 18 years or older to legally purchase long guns, which include shotguns and rifles.
The irony of Sanders' words was not lost on her critics, who quickly took her to task for them.
\u201cShe\u2019s a known liar and religious zealot\u201d— Luke Zaleski (@Luke Zaleski) 1656340779
\u201cThe most painfully stupid thing you will hear today\u201d— Liam Thorp (@Liam Thorp) 1656311136
\u201cOh good my umbilical cord is gonna get a gun\u201d— broti gupta (@broti gupta) 1656270268
\u201cI see that Sarah Slanders is still completely detached from reality. How in the world could the people of AK support her?\nHEY SARAH?? \nCan you say UVALDE? \nRemember Parkland? \nUnless there's #GunReformNow you won't be keeping ANY children safe, so take a seat & be quiet\n#Fresh\u201d— \ud83c\udf0aSheryl Lynne #MyBodyMyChoice (@\ud83c\udf0aSheryl Lynne #MyBodyMyChoice) 1656278780
\u201cHeartbreaking: the worst person you know just wrote the darkest joke you\u2019ve ever heard\u201d— Rusty Foster (@Rusty Foster) 1656274672
\u201cYou know @TheOnion can't outdo this...\u201d— Peter Daou (@Peter Daou) 1656279699
\u201cLook man I've written satire professionally for like 10 years and you simply cannot mine this level of satirical gold if you tried for a million years\u201d— Joe Zieja (@Joe Zieja) 1656284835
\u201cShould someone tell her?\u201d— Sari Beth Rosenberg (@Sari Beth Rosenberg) 1656298949
\u201cNot very reassuring\u201d— Dr Adam Rutherford (@Dr Adam Rutherford) 1656269036
Sanders, the daughter of former Arkansas Republican Governor Mike Huckabee, is best known for her tenure as White House Press Secretary under former President Donald Trump.
During her time in the White House, she was often called out for lying openly and brazenly on any number of topics, in particular the Trump administration's ties to Russia.
Her record has only endeared her to her voter base, however, and she successfully raised more than $470,000 of contributions in the month before she won her primary. That "increased her total contribution collections to $11.7 million and total spending to $6 million, leaving a balance [of] $5.6 million," according to The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
