Will Asa Hutchinson Get the Message After Reactions to His Latest Announcement?

Leah Barkoukis | April 03, 2023 7:30 AM

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Sunday he is entering the race for the GOP presidential nomination, joining former President Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

"I have made a decision, and my decision is I'm going to run for president of the United States," Hutchinson said on ABC News’ “This Week.”

"While the formal announcement will be later in April, in Bentonville, I want to make it clear to you… I am going to be running," he continued. "And the reason is, I've traveled the country for six months, I hear people talk about the leadership of our country. I'm convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts."

EXCLUSIVE: Former GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces during an interview with @JonKarl that he will be running for president.

“I'm convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America and not simply appeal to our worst instincts.” https://t.co/Sl3cIF6wS0 pic.twitter.com/T4NA2R2oRD
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 2, 2023

While most Republicans have defended the 45^th president against the New York indictment, Hutchinson has called on Trump to “step aside.”

“When a public official is indicted, I think with regard to the office, the office is more important than the person and they should step aside,” Hutchinson said Friday on Fox Business. “That standard should apply here. It is a distraction. It is not a good day for America, but the system has to play out here and we have to have confidence that it can.”

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.

https://t.co/Z6F3SX92Aq
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) April 2, 2023