Former governor of Arkansas Asa Hutchinson discusses candidacy for president

Little Rock, Arkansas – Just two days before Asa Hutchinson, a former governor, formally announced his candidacy for president.

Given that former president Donald Trump is now leading the polls, the field of Republicans on the GOP nomination ballot is already intimidating for Hutchinson.

Despite the fact that it is a lot to handle, Hutchinson claimed that it is not impossible.

“I believe we need a course correction in terms of the dialogue we have with the American public, trying to bring people together, and I do not believe Trump can do that,” Hutchinson said. “He is divisive.”

Hutchinson added that he thinks his chances of winning the general election are stronger.

“Quite frankly I do not believe he can win in a November election,” Hutchinson said, referring to Trump. When asked if he feels he has a better chance beating Biden, if he is the Democratic nominee, Hutchinson responded, “Oh, I do.”

Because of his work at the state and federal levels, Hutchinson claimed he believes he possesses the experience a president ought to have.

He collaborated with the European Commission and European Nations while working as a federal prosecutor, in the U.S. House of Representatives, and during the George W. Bush administration as the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration. He most recently spent eight years as the governor of Arkansas.

“You look at the challenges America faces, it deals with the experiences that I have had,” Hutchinson said. “I think it is important, and America looks for a governor’s leadership…somebody who has been in executive authority and had to make tough decisions.”

The current obstacle, according to Hutchinson, is name recognition. He has already made a number of out-of-state trips, most notably in Iowa before the caucuses.

He claimed that, whether they were successful or unsuccessful as candidates, several Arkansas residents who had previously run for president give him hope.

“Geography just does not matter in today’s world,” he said.

Instead, according to Hutchinson, what matters is a person’s perspective on America as well as their character.

Hutchinson is tied with Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott at 3% in the most recent NBC poll. He claimed that name recognition is currently the biggest obstacle. He has already made multiple trips to Iowa, and he has plans to return to South Carolina and New Hampshire soon.

Ron DeSantis, who has not yet formally declared his candidacy for president, is second to Trump in that poll with 46% of the vote. He is still at 31%. Next in line with 6% of the vote is former vice president Mike Pence, who has likewise not formally declared his campaign.

This month, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee also made the announcement that everyone who wants to take part in the GOP debates in 2024 must sign a commitment to support whoever wins the nomination, whether it is Trump or someone else.

Hutchinson, who has been outspoken in his opposition to Trump, stated on Monday that he is against signing party loyalty oaths but should reconsider that oath. He did promise that he will be on the discussion stage.