After declaring that Trump “wasn’t the one” to lead the Republican Party into the future, Arkansas’ Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson did not rule out running against him.
“I’m concentrating on finishing my term well as governor,” Hutchinson told Fox News Digital at the National Governors Association winter meeting. “I do want to be a voice that talks about conservative, common sense ideas, and we’ll see where that leads.”
Hutchinson had previously said that he does not see Trump as the future of the Republican Party, and when asked by Business Insider who should lead instead, said “that’s what the election is all about.”
ARKANSAS’ GOP GOV. HUTCHINSON SAYS TRUMP NOT ‘THE ONE TO LEAD OUR PARTY AND OUR COUNTRY AGAIN’
Fox News Digital pressed Hutchinson on his comments, he said it was “the voters choice,” even extending to Donald Trump.
“It’s a competitive landscape, people always have choices,” Hutchinson said, stressing that he wants more voices heard within the party.
“Whenever you’re … three years out from [the election,] let’s have a lot of voices out there that can talk to the Republican base, talk about ideas talk about the future, and that’s what I want to shift the debate to,” he said.
“This is not about not the past election, but the next election. … I get asked questions, I answer those questions.”
Hutchinson also said we should “look to the future” for the future of the Republican Party.
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Hutchinson has been a vocal critic of Trump, but also had harsh criticism of President Biden. “Obviously, coming from the other side, I see areas of weakness there, and he’s been ineffectual,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said Biden’s grade was “poor in effectiveness,” highlighting the crisis at the southern border, botched withdrawal of Afghanistan and inflation.
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“We look for effectiveness, and we look for some level of bipartisanship, and we really haven’t seen that yet,” he continued.
Hutchinson’s comments come after a video resurfaced last week that featured Trump declaring himself “the 45th and the 47th” president during a round of golf.