A 2024 Republican candidate for president has suggested that former President Donald Trump should drop out of the upcoming presidential race due to the ongoing investigations surrounding him.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson took to social media Wednesday urging the GOP to “clarify” that the Republican Party is not obligated to support a candidate that is found guilty of a “serious felony” or “espionage.” Hutchinson clarified his statement by explicitly stating that as a “target of an ongoing criminal investigation,” Trump “should step aside & put the good of the country above his candidacy.”
The @GOP should clarify that there is no pledge to support a nominee if they are found guilty of espionage or a serious felony.
Donald Trump is the target of an ongoing criminal investigation and he should step aside & put the good of the country above his candidacy.
— Gov. Asa Hutchinson (@AsaHutchinson) June 8, 2023
Hutchinson, who formally announced his intention to run for president in April, has postured himself as a relatable alternative to the brash and boisterous style of Trump, telling Iowans earlier this month that it was a compliment to be called “normal” by a voter in that state.
“I’ve traveled the country for six months, I hear people talk about the leadership of our country, and I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts,” Hutchinson said in April, according to Politico.
“I believe I can be that kind of leader for the people of America,” Hutchinson stated.
Hutchinson, who is currently polling at one percent to Trump’s 52 percent was mocked by the former president who referred to the former governor as “Ada” while on the campaign trail, ABC News reported .
“I call him Ada Hutchinson,” Trump told Fox host Sean Hannity in a town hall June 1, Mediaite reported. “I don’t call him Asa. I call him Ada Hutchinson. I gave him a little name for some reason, for certain reasons. But this guy, nobody knows who the hell he is. Never, never good.”
Though his polling numbers may not be strong currently, Hutchinson has voiced his belief they will improve as his campaign moves forward, stating that support for Trump is inflated. “I don’t expect that he’ll be the nominee,” Hutchinson stated, according to ABC News. (RELATED: Asa Hutchinson Says He’s Considering Presidential Run, Wants Party To Move On From Trump)
“I’m a strong Republican, but now’s not the right time for Donald Trump and his leadership in the future,” Hutchinson added. “We need somebody that can actually win in November, that can bring in independents and suburban voters that can appeal to the best of our country and help bring us together.”