Hutchinson, whose candidacy evoked a bygone Republican age, favored Sunday talk programs and serious policy conversations over noisy rallies and social media drama. Although a staple in Arkansas politics for decades, he was barely recognized beyond the state.
Other GOP contenders with stronger charms squeezed him out. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie's Trump critiques eclipsed his. After Christie withdrew days before Iowa's caucuses, Hutchinson praised him for delivering “the hard truth” and “highlighting the risks of a Donald Trump presidency,” stressing his high political cost.
Before the caucuses, Hutchinson remarked, “As for me,” she was battling for Iowa caucuses votes and planned to surpass expectations. My voice is crucial in this election because I am the only candidate who has not promised Donald Trump a pardon.
Hutchinson, Ramaswamy, Christie, Pence, Scott, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Larry Elder, Perry Johnson, Will Hurd, and Francis Suarez have all withdrawn from the GOP primary race.
In April, he opened his campaign in Bentonville, northwest Arkansas, where he began his legal career and failed run for politics. Hutchinson portrayed himself as a business-friendly conservative in Walmart's hometown. In contrast, DeSantis has been embroiled in a nasty public dispute with Disney in Florida.
Former congressman Hutchinson was one of the House managers pursuing Bill Clinton's impeachment case. He served two terms as Arkansas governor until 2023.
Under President George W. Bush, Hutchinson headed the Drug Enforcement Administration and was a Homeland Security undersecretary. He was an Arkansas federal prosecutor in the 1980s. Hutchinson praised his unique law enforcement background, notably in immigration and border security. He mentioned that when discussing Trump's legal issues.
When he appeared before the National Rifle Association's annual convention after launching his bid, Hutchinson, who led a task force that called for armed and trained school staff after the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting, was met with skepticism. He was screamed at by Trump supporters after saying President Joe Biden was “praying” for a 2024 rematch and said, “We don’t need a rerun of 2020.”
He also noted that he signed several abortion restrictions as governor, including a near-total ban when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Hutchinson refused to clarify whether he would support a six- or 15-week limit as president before promising conservatives he would approve a federal restriction.