Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson informally announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on Sunday, positioning himself as an alternative to former President Donald Trump.
Hutchinson made the announcement during an interview on ABC’s This Week on April 2.
“I have made a decision, and my decision is I’m going to run for president of the United States. While the formal announcement will be later in April, in Bentonville [Arkansas], I want to make it clear to you, Jonathan, I am going to be running,” Hutchinson told Jonathan Karl, per ABC News.
“And the reason is, I’ve traveled the country for six months, I hear people talk about the leadership of our country. I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts,” Hutchinson added.
As governor of Arkansas, Hutchinson signed a trigger law to restrict abortion upon the overturn of Roe v. Wade and banned biologically male athletes from participating on women’s sports teams in schools, per USA Today. He also approved tax cuts for individuals and corporations in Arkansas.
While a member of Congress, Hutchinson was one of the House managers pursuing the impeachment case against President Bill Clinton, according to CNN. He was also head of the Drug Enforcement Administration and an undersecretary of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush.
Hutchinson joins a Republican field that includes former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to join the race in the summer, while Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are among those reportedly considering bids.
Although more Republicans are expected to join the primary in the coming months, Trump’s shadow looms large following his recent indictment by a Manhattan grand jury — making him the first current or former president to face criminal charges.
The former Arkansas governor argued that the “worst scenario” for Republicans would be another Trump presidential nomination, per NBC News.
Hutchinson hopes to be viewed a moderate Republican candidate with an appeal to voters seeking a change from Trump’s policies. In an interview, Hutchinson said that he wants to present himself as a “person of faith” with experience battling white supremacists as a U.S. attorney and cartel leaders as head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, per USA Today.
Hutchinson acknowledges that he would need “a lot of hard work and good messaging” for a chance to shine in a crowded primary field, per ABC News.
