Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson ended his long-shot bid for the White House on Tuesday.
The former two-term governor entered the race in April with an eye toward taking on former President Donald Trump, who saw a decisive win in Iowa on Monday night. Hutchinson found himself increasingly without a political home in a party that has embraced the man who once seemed toxic in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021.
"My message of being a principled Republican with experience and telling the truth about the current front runner did not sell in Iowa," Hutchinson said in a statement. He finished a distant sixth in Iowa.
After eeking out enough support to earn a spot on stage at the first primary debate last August, Hutchinson faded in the polls and struggled to seize much national attention. His campaign manager, Rob Burgess, departed in the fall over disagreements about how — and whether — to proceed with a presidential bid. Hutchinson’s cash-strapped operation opted to forgo putting his name on the ballot in some states, including Nevada and South Carolina, avoiding the accompanying tens of thousands of dollars in fees.
But the former governor soldiered on, making the case against a second Trump term – and outlasting more prominent candidates like former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
During the first primary debate, he was the only candidate on stage who did not raise his hand when asked if he would support Trump as the Republican nominee if he is convicted of a crime. (Christie, the race’s other prominent Trump critic, later clarified that he would also refuse to support the former president if he’s convicted.)
Hutchinson, who served as the youngest U.S. attorney under President Ronald Reagan, was also the only candidate to prop up the controversial legal theory that could keep Trump off the ballot in some states.
“Over a year ago, I said that Donald Trump was morally disqualified from being president again as a result of what happened on Jan. 6. More people are understanding the importance of that, including conservative legal scholars," Hutchinson said during the first debate in Milwaukee — a comment that elicited both applause and boos from the audience.
"I'm not going to support somebody who's been convicted of a serious felony or who is disqualified under our Constitution,” he added, referencing the “insurrection clause” of the 14th Amendment. The clause bars those who have taken an oath to support the Constitution from holding office again if they’ve “engaged in insurrection” against the United States or “given aid or comfort” to its enemies. After Colorado determined in December that Trump is not qualified to be on the ballot, the decision of whether to remove him currently sits with the Supreme Court.
Hutchinson wasn’t always an outspoken critic of the former president. While seeking a second term as governor, he leaned on a Trump endorsement to beat back a primary challenge from conservative gun range owner Jan Morgan.
“He has done an incredible job with a focus on lower taxes, border security, and crime prevention. Asa loves our military and our veterans. I fully endorse Asa for Governor!” Trump wrote in a social media post at the time.
Hutchinson went on to trounce Morgan in the primary, and handily defeated Democratic challenger Jared Henderson in the general election.
After the 2020 election, Hutchinson first defended Trump’s right to bring legal challenges over the results. But by December, he had joined a bipartisan group of governors on a call with the Biden transition team, and on Jan. 6 he condemned the rioters who stormed the Capitol.
Appointed by Reagan in 1982, Hutchinson became the youngest U.S. attorney in the country. After an unsuccessful Senate run, Hutchinson won a House seat and quickly rose to national prominence after serving as an impeachment manager in the case against fellow Arkasanan and former President Bill Clinton. He later served as head of the Drug Enforcement Agency under former President George W. Bush before being reassigned to the newly created Department of Homeland Security in the wake of Sept. 11.
Hutchinson's long road comes to an end
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16.01.2024
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson ended his long-shot bid for the White House on Tuesday.
The former two-term governor entered the race in April with an eye toward taking on former President Donald Trump, who saw a decisive win in Iowa on Monday night. Hutchinson found himself increasingly without a political home in a party that has embraced the man who once seemed toxic in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021.
"My message of being a principled Republican with experience and telling the truth about the current front runner did not sell in Iowa," Hutchinson said in a statement. He finished a distant sixth in Iowa.
After eeking out enough support to earn a spot on stage at the first primary debate last August, Hutchinson faded in the polls and struggled to seize much national attention. His campaign manager, Rob Burgess, departed in the fall over disagreements about how — and whether — to proceed with a presidential bid. Hutchinson’s cash-strapped operation opted to forgo putting his name on the ballot in some states, including Nevada and South Carolina,........
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