Asa Hutchinson says he won't endorse Trump



Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who launched a GOP presidential primary bid last year but then dropped out earlier this year on the heels of a dismal performance in the Iowa Republican presidential caucus, has declared that he will not endorse former President Donald Trump. Hutchinson earned less than 200 votes in the Iowa GOP presidential caucus.

Trump and President Joe Biden have each become the presumptive presidential nominee of their respective parties.

"With Donald Trump's domination of the GOP primaries and the elimination of all primary opponents, including myself, the party leadership and Republican elected officials are clicking their heels in obedience to the victor and presumptive nominee. I have not endorsed Donald Trump for president, and I will not do so," Hutchinson wrote in an opinion piece that bears the title "I ran for president as a Republican in 2024. I won't vote for Trump (or Biden)."

"This is a costly and difficult position to take because I was instrumental in building the GOP in Arkansas, having served as state party chair during the Clinton years, and I have been elected to Congress and as governor on the Republican ticket."

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"I am a Republican who won’t be supporting our presumptive nominee," he noted.

But Hutchinson also indicated that he will not vote for Biden.

"Another important point to make is that I also will not vote for President Joe Biden. Biden's weak border policies, his poor economic record and his slow growth energy policy do not justify reelection," he wrote.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served alongside Trump from early 2017 until early 2021, has said the he will not endorse Trump in 2024 and that he will not vote for Biden.

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Summit described as 'an alternative to CPAC' to feature speakers, including Adam Kinzinger, Asa Hutchinson, and others



Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele, and various other individuals are listed as speakers for the upcoming Principles First Summit slated to take place later this month.

"The theme of this year's Summit is 'Conserving America's Liberal Tradition,'" according to a press release that describes the event as "an alternative to CPAC."

The summit will be "focused on advancing a more principled center-right politics in the United States," and will feature "panels, speeches, networking, and discussion about how we can preserve America's classical liberal tradition, the meaning of conservatism today, and the future of our movement," according to Principles First.

Kinzinger was one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump in the wake of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He was also one of the two GOP lawmakers who served on the House select committee that was supposed to probe the Jan. 6 episode.

Hutchinson dropped out of the 2024 GOP presidential primary after a dismal showing in the Iowa caucuses where he earned less than 200 votes.

Some of the other individuals slated to speak at the summit include Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, "The View" co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, George Conway, Bill Kristol, Jonah Goldberg, and Steve Hayes.

Former President Donald Trump and various other figures are slated to speak at CPAC this month.

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Trump bests competitors in 98 of Iowa's 99 counties; Hutchinson drops out after dismal showing



Former President Donald Trump crushed the competition, beating rivals in 98 of 99 counties during the Republican presidential caucuses in Iowa on Monday. In the single county where Trump lost, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley edged him out by just one vote, results currently indicate.

But as massive as Trump's victory was, it paled in comparison to former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson's dismal performance. He earned less than 200 votes in the Hawkeye State, results currently indicate.

Hutchinson has announced that he is dropping out of the nominating contest.

"I congratulate Donald J. Trump for his win last night in Iowa and to the other candidates who competed and garnered delegate support. Today, I am suspending my campaign for President and driving back to Arkansas," he said in a statement. "My message of being a principled Republican with experience and telling the truth about the current front runner did not sell in Iowa."

The Iowa delegates are awarded proportionally based on how much of the vote each candidate gets.

Author and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who earned less than 8% in the contest, dropped out and endorsed Trump.

While Trump had already been leading in the polls prior to the Iowa caucuses, the massive victory appears to confirm Trump's frontrunner status in the GOP nominating contest.

Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are still vying for the Republican presidential nod. Last year, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed DeSantis while New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu endorsed Haley.

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Ex-Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Scraps Presidential Campaign

Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, one of the few Republican presidential hopefuls to forcefully criticize frontrunner Donald Trump, dropped out of the race on Tuesday after struggling to gain traction in the polls.

The post Ex-Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Scraps Presidential Campaign appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.

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