Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) pledged his support to Ukraine during the formal launch of his presidential campaign on Wednesday, where he also touted his claims of fighting the establishment and consistency as a conservative throughout his political career.
Hutchinson, who said during an early April interview on ABC’s This Week that he would run for president, first highlighted the role the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, has had in shaping who he is and his career– from his first law office to building the city’s first FM radio station to serving as Bentonville’s City Attorney and starting a family with his wife, Susan.
Watch — Asa Hutchinson: I Am Running For President
He announced his bid for U.S. Senate 30 years ago on the same steps — a time when Arkansas was a blue state and “and the Republican Party was pretty much non-existent.”
“I stepped up to take on runaway federal spending; to fight for a strong national defense; to support the life of unborn children; and to unleash the private sector of our economy,” his remarks, as prepared for delivery, read.
Hutchinson highlighted his record as a “conservative Republican,” particularly clinging to that ideology even when it was not popular to do so.
“In other words, I ran as a conservative Republican when being a Republican was like having a career-ending handicap. I continued to fight the establishment and over time . . . we won,” he said, underscoring that conservative consistency throughout his career and asserting that he will bring the same fight to the presidency.
His prepared remarks further state:
I am announcing that I am a candidate for President of the United States. In this campaign for President, I stand alone in terms of my experience, record, and leadership. From Congress to DEA to Homeland Security, I have served our country in times of crisis. As Governor of Arkansas, we cut taxes and created record surpluses.
The former governor pointed to the times he has been tested — from putting on a “flak jacket” and assisting “the FBI Hostage Rescue Team in negotiating the surrender of an armed terrorist group” to leading throughout the coronavirus pandemic without closing down “every business and shutting down schools.”
Hutchinson identified himself as one political leader who stood up against outside pressure to shut down his state throughout the pandemic. He said he refused, and as a result, businesses survived. Hutchinson said his state “had more days of in-classroom instruction during the pandemic than almost any other state,” even beating Florida.
Hutchinson, per his prepared remarks, targeted the Biden administration, emphasizing that the president has turned his back on American workers. In order to turn the economy around, Hutchinson would bring an end to what he described as “break-the-bank federal spending,” stressing his experience leading the state.
Hutchinson also highlighted the need to secure the southern border and defend the United States from China threats while securing America’s place as a global leader.
“Let me assure you that as President, I will bring out the best of America . . . we will stand with our allies and friends. We will not abandon our friends in times of need,” he said, asserting that the Biden administration’s weakness led to the Russia invasion of Ukraine.
Hutchinson appears to differ from other potential 2024 GOP contenders, as the former governor used his presidential announcement to pledge his support to Ukraine:
There are some who want the U.S. to disengage from the world and to isolate ourselves. Isolationism only leads to weakness and weakness leads to war. Americans want peace and the best way to secure and preserve peace is to have the most prepared military in the world. Today’s threat is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I join with those who say we do not want an unending war in Ukraine, and the best way to avoid a long war is to help Ukraine win today. (Emphasis added)
Hutchinson also hit on other common topics, such as defending law enforcement and devoting more resources for the southern border. However, he also took an indirect jab at former President Donald Trump, addressing “a few misguided leaders who say we should defund the FBI.”
“We should not defund the FBI, but we do need serious reform to refocus the core functions of our federal law enforcement,” his prepared remarks read.
Notably, Trump earlier this month called on Republicans to temporarily defund both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) “until they come to their senses.”
Among other things, Hutchinson said he will “assure the strength and reliability” of Social Security and Medicare.
“I am running for President because I know that the best of America is ahead of us,” Hutchinson said, adding that the fate of America rests with the American people.
Weeks ago, Hutchinson expressed that Trump — who is leading the potential 2024 pack by double digits — should drop out of the presidential race due to his indictment, deeming it “too much of a side show and distraction.”
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