Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson joins the race for president

Former Arkansas Governor joins the race for president.
Asa Hutchinson announced his 2024 presidential campaign.
He will face off against Donald Trump.

Asa Hutchinson is running for president in 2024. The 2024 presidential race is picking up steam. Now former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is challenging Donald Trump, as he faces multiple legal issues.

This week Joe Biden also formally announced that he will be running for reelection along with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Asa Hutchinson announces he’s running for president in 2024

Former Arkansas Governor Running for 2024 President — PHOTO: AP

Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson formally launched his Republican presidential campaign on Wednesday, pledging to «bring out the best in America» and aiming to draw contrasts with other Republican hopefuls on important issues, including how best to reform federal agencies.

Hutchinson kicked off his 2024 bid in his Bentonville hometown on the same steps where he launched a failed campaign for the US Senate 30 years ago.

Former Arkansas governor joins the race

The former governor of Arkansas will seek the presidency on the Republican side — PHOTO: AP

“I ran as a conservative Republican when being a Republican was like having a career-ending handicap,” Hutchinson said, adding: “And now, I bring that same vigor to fight another battle, and that battle is for the future of our country and the soul of our party.”

The stalwart conservative, who announced in a television interview earlier this month he intended to run, stands out among other Republican presidential hopefuls in his willingness to criticize former President Donald Trump, calling on him to drop out of the 2024 race rather than seek another White House term.

Asa Hutchinson says we need a president who isn’t focused on the past

Asa Hutchinson points out that they need a president who "don't focus on the past" — PHOTO: AP

And while Trump anchored his campaign message around his false claims about the 2020 election, Hutchinson has said voters need a candidate who doesn’t focus on the past.

While some of the other contenders who served in the Trump administration struggled to distance themselves from Trump, Hutchinson was able to tap into his extensive government resume and roots in the American heartland.

Hutchinson announces his candidacy one day after Biden

Hutchinson announced his candidacy a day after Biden — PHOTO: AP

Hutchinson, also a former US attorney and congressman, launched his campaign a day after President Joe Biden formally announce he is running for reelection. Hutchinson has argued that neither Biden nor Trump are focused on the future, according to The Associated Press.

“I am confident we will even survive through the destructive policies of the Biden administration, but the time for change is now,” Hutchinson said. «It’s time to bring out the best in America.»