Former Arkansas governor and Trump critic Asa Hutchinson is running for president
- Hutchinson is offering himself as an alternative to Donald Trump whose presidential nomination he calls the ‘worst scenario’ for Republicans
- He is known more for talking policy than for fiery speeches, and instead of picking fights on Twitter, he tweets out Bible verses on Sunday mornings
Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson says he’s running for president in 2024, offering himself as an alternative for Republicans ready to turn the party away from Donald Trump.
“I’m confident that people want leaders that want the best of the America, not those who appeal to their worst instincts,” Hutchinson told ABC’s This Week in an interview aired on Sunday. He said he would make a formal announcement in April in Arkansas.
“I have made a decision and my decision is I’m going to run for president of United States,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson, 72, left office in January after eight years as governor. He has ramped up his criticism of the former president in recent months, calling another Trump presidential nomination the “worst scenario” for Republicans and saying it likely benefit President Joe Biden’s chances in 2024.
In addition to Trump, Hutchinson joins a Republican field that also includes former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to jump into the race in the summer, while US Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are among those considering bids.
Hutchinson, who was term-limited, has been a fixture in Arkansas politics since the 1980s, when the state was predominantly Democratic. A former congressman, he was one of the House managers prosecuting the impeachment case against President Bill Clinton.
