POLITICIAN Asa Hutchinson served as the governor of Arkansas for two terms.
In April 2023, it was revealed that the 73-year-old Republican would be running for president in the upcoming 2024 election.
Who is Asa Hutchinson?
William Asa Hutchinson II was born in Bentonville, Arkansas, on December 3, 1950, and is known for his career in politics.
Prior to serving as Arkansas' governor, he worked as an attorney and businessman.
According to the National Governors Association, he was appointed as US Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas by Ronald Reagan and later appointed as the director of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security by George W. Bush.
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Hutchinson first became governor of Arkansas back in 2015 and was swiftly re-elected in 2018. However, in 2022, he was not eligible to run for re-election because he had already been elected for two terms in the past 12 years.
He served as the state's governor until January 10, 2023.
Is Asa Hutchinson married?
When Hutchinson is not in the office, he can typically be found spending time with his wife, Susan.
The two first tied the knot in 1973 after meeting in school.
Outside of being the former first lady of Arkansas, Susan has been a lifelong advocate for children and worked as a schoolteacher on the board of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County.
She is also the mother of Hutchinson's four kids: Asa III, Seth, Sarah, and John.
Does Asa Hutchinson support Donald Trump?
Hutchinson is a member of the Republican Party, but in July 2022, he revealed that he would not support Donald Trump if he seeks re-election in 2024.
His comments were made during an appearance on CBS Mornings, where he also discussed the January 6 Capitol Riots.
"As you can see from the testimony on Jan. 6, then and subsequent to the election where he was challenging the legality of it, the lawful transfer of [power] — yes, that was a threat to our democracy. That was a threat to our institutions of government," Hutchinson said.
"And that’s not the behavior we want to see in a responsible president."
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He went on to add that he would "not be supporting [Trump] for 2024" because he "acted irresponsibly."
"During that time, he was a risk to the nation, absolutely," Hutchinson continued.
Hutchinson had reportedly contemplated running for president for quite some time. However, it wasn't until April 2023 that the politician decided to make it official.
The former governor initially announced his bid for candidacy during an interview with ABC's This Week on April 2.
"I believe that I am the right time for America, the right candidate for our country and its future," he told co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
"I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America and not simply appeal to our worst instincts."
Per AP News, Hutchinson formally launched his 2024 presidential campaign on April 26, 2023, with a kickoff in his hometown of Bentonville.
He pledged to "bring out the best of America."
However, as ABC News reported on January 16, 2024, he ended his presidential campaign after placing sixth in the Iowa caucuses.
As of January 16, 99% of the expected results are in, and Hutchinson received only 191 votes and zero pledged delegates.
"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, referring to Trump, per the outlet.
"I stand by the campaign I ran. I answered every question, sounded the warning to the GOP about the risks in 2024 and presented hope for our country’s future."
According to ABC News, Hutchinson said he had congratulated Trump on his Iowa win.
"[My wife] Susan and I are blessed beyond measure, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have fought in the political arena for America," he added.