In a surprising turn of events, Asa Hutchinson, the former Republican presidential candidate, announced on Monday that he will not be endorsing Donald Trump, the party’s presumptive nominee, nor will he vote for the incumbent President Joe Biden in the upcoming November elections.
Writing in a USA Today op-ed, Hutchinson, who previously served as the governor of Arkansas, stated, “I have not endorsed Donald Trump for president, and I will not do so.” The former governor has been openly critical of Trump during the presidential campaign, and his op-ed further elaborated on his reasons.
Hutchinson argued that Trump had effectively “disqualified” himself on January 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters launched an attack on the US Capitol. He also accused Trump of continuing to “undermine our democracy by defending the actions of that dark day.”
Regrettably, Hutchinson noted, “Donald Trump has redefined the GOP in his image and has put personal ego above the common good.” He also criticized Trump for favoring Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukrainian people, promoting isolationism by “abandoning” NATO and US leadership on the global stage, and advocating “economic protectionism” with his plan to impose tariffs on US allies and adversaries.
“These ideas are not Republican principles but anathema to the success story conservative leaders have built over the last 50 years,” Hutchinson wrote.
However, Hutchinson also made it clear that he will not be voting for Biden. He criticized the Democratic incumbent’s “weak” border policies, “poor” economic record, and “slow growth” energy policy, stating that these do not “justify reelection.”
Hutchinson, who launched his presidential campaign in April 2023, emphasized his extensive government service and his two terms as the conservative governor of Arkansas. Despite being one of the few Republican presidential hopefuls who spoke out against Trump, he failed to garner significant support over the other Trump alternatives. He ended his campaign in January and later endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for president.
Haley, who emerged as Trump’s last-standing major challenger, withdrew from the GOP primary following Trump’s dominating performance in the Super Tuesday contests earlier this month.
Hutchinson is not alone in his refusal to endorse Trump. Last week, Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, also declined to endorse his former running mate. In an interview with Fox News, Pence stated, “Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years. That’s why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign.”