The 2024 Republican field just got a little more crowded as former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) announced a bid for the White House. The announcement met with little fanfare from many in the conservative movement.
Hutchinson follows former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former President Donald Trump, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Other prospective candidates, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and former Vice President Mike Pence, have not yet announced their candidacy.
The former Arkansas governor has his work cut out for him against more high-profile candidates. The former president, in particular, has near-universal name recognition and is back in the headlines due to the indictment by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
Hutchinson started his campaign with a swipe at Trump during an interview with ABC News.
He said, “I’m confident that people want leaders that want the best of America, not those who appeal to their worst instincts.”
Hutchinson served two terms as governor, ending his eight-year tenure this January.
Any GOP candidate who declares his candidacy exclusively on the mainstream media, instead of in front of or to a GOP constituency, is off on the wrong note.
Appealing to the MSM lost its effectiveness for Rs 20 years ago.
This is a bad start for Asa.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) April 2, 2023
The Arkansas governor has a mixed record, according to many conservatives. Hutchinson pushed through a number of tax cuts and signed in restrictions on abortion. However, Hutchinson later criticized the abortion bill that he signed and was perceived as changing his mind about masking in public schools during the pandemic.
In particular, Hutchinson has been in a state of conflict with Trump, and Hutchinson is one of the most outspoken opponents of the former president.
Hutchinson has been called a RINO, or Republican In Name Only, by the former president while Hutchinson criticized Trump’s recent decisions.
The entry of Hutchinson into the race also followed former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) declaring that he would not be a candidate in 2024.
