Asa Hutchinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Asa Hutchinson
|
|
|---|---|
Hutchinson in 2023
|
|
| 46th Governor of Arkansas | |
| In office January 13, 2015 – January 10, 2023 |
|
| Lieutenant | Tim Griffin |
| Preceded by | Mike Beebe |
| Succeeded by | Sarah Huckabee Sanders |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office July 8, 2021 – July 15, 2022 |
|
| Vice Chair | Phil Murphy |
| Preceded by | Andrew Cuomo |
| Succeeded by | Phil Murphy |
| Vice Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office August 5, 2020 – July 8, 2021 |
|
| Chair | Andrew Cuomo |
| Preceded by | Andrew Cuomo |
| Succeeded by | Phil Murphy |
| Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security | |
| In office January 23, 2003 – March 1, 2005 |
|
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Randy Beardsworth (acting) |
| 8th Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration | |
| In office August 8, 2001 – January 23, 2003 |
|
| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | John B. Brown III |
| Preceded by | Donnie R. Marshall |
| Succeeded by | Karen Tandy |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 3rd district |
|
| In office January 3, 1997 – August 6, 2001 |
|
| Preceded by | Tim Hutchinson |
| Succeeded by | John Boozman |
| Chair of the Arkansas Republican Party | |
| In office January 1, 1991 – December 31, 1995 Serving with Sheffield Nelson (1991–1992)
|
|
| Preceded by | Ken Coon |
| Succeeded by | Lloyd Stone |
| United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas | |
| In office September 1, 1982 – January 20, 1985 |
|
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Larry McCord |
| Succeeded by | Michael Fitzhugh |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Asa Hutchinson II
December 3, 1950 Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Susan Burrell
(m. 1973) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Tim Hutchinson (brother) |
| Education | Bob Jones University (BA) University of Arkansas (JD) |
| Signature |  |
William Asa Hutchinson II (born December 3, 1950) is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician. He served as the 46th governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before becoming governor, he worked as a U.S. attorney and a U.S. representative. He also held two important roles in the administration of President George W. Bush. In 2023, he ran for president in the 2024 Republican presidential race.
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan chose Hutchinson to be the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. This area includes most of Fort Smith. In 1996, he was elected to the House of Representatives. He represented Arkansas's 3rd congressional district until 2001. Then, President George W. Bush appointed him to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. In 2003, Bush gave him another role in the new Department of Homeland Security. Hutchinson left the Bush administration in 2005.
In 2006, Hutchinson ran for governor of Arkansas but lost to Mike Beebe. He ran again in 2014 and won, defeating Mike Ross. He was reelected in 2018. Because of term limits, he could not run for governor again in 2022. Sarah Huckabee Sanders became the next governor.
From 2020 to 2021, Hutchinson was the vice chair of the National Governors Association. He then became the chair of this group from 2021 to 2022. In 2023, he announced he would run for president. He stopped his campaign on January 16, 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Law Career
Hutchinson was born in Bentonville, Arkansas. His parents were Coral Virginia (Mount) Hutchinson and John Malcolm Hutchinson Sr. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from Bob Jones University in South Carolina in 1972. In 1975, he received his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He worked as a lawyer in Fort Smith for 21 years. During that time, he handled over 100 jury trials.
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed Hutchinson as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. At 31, he was the youngest U.S. attorney in the country. He gained attention for successfully prosecuting a group called The Covenant, The Sword, and The Arm of the Lord (CSA). This group had an armed standoff with law enforcement. Hutchinson personally helped end the standoff peacefully.
Early Political Career
Before Congress
In 1986, Hutchinson ran for U.S. Senate against the person already holding the seat, Dale Bumpers. He did not win this election. In 1990, he ran for Attorney General of Arkansas but lost.
After these races, Hutchinson became a leader of the Arkansas Republican Party. He held this position from 1991 to 1995.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
.jpg)
In 1992, Hutchinson's brother, Tim Hutchinson, was elected to Congress. He represented Arkansas's third congressional district. In 1996, Tim Hutchinson decided not to run for the House again. Asa Hutchinson then ran for that seat and won.
In 1998, Hutchinson was reelected to the House easily. He won again without opposition in 2000. He served as one of the managers (like a prosecutor) in the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton.
Leading the Drug Enforcement Administration
In 2001, when President George W. Bush began his term, Hutchinson was chosen to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Senate approved his appointment with a large majority vote.
Working for Homeland Security
After the September 11 attacks, the U.S. government created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). President Bush asked Hutchinson to lead the Border and Transportation Security division of the DHS. The Senate confirmed him on January 23, 2003. Hutchinson left this role on March 1, 2005.
After the Bush Administration
Business Work
In 2005, Hutchinson started a consulting firm called Hutchinson Group, LLC. He also worked for a law firm in Washington, D.C., focusing on homeland security. He left that job in 2006 to focus on his campaign for governor.
Political Activities
In 2010, Hutchinson joined a group called The Constitution Project's Guantanamo Task Force. He believed it was important for national security.
After the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) asked Hutchinson to lead a group. This group was tasked with reviewing school security. On April 2, 2013, he presented the National School Shield plan. This plan aimed to make schools safer and prevent future shootings.
Governor of Arkansas
2006 Election for Governor
.jpg)
Soon after returning to Arkansas, Hutchinson announced he would run for governor in 2006. He won the Republican primary. However, in the main election, he lost to the Democratic candidate, Mike Beebe.
2014 Election for Governor
Hutchinson ran for governor of Arkansas again in 2014. He won the Republican primary. On November 4, 2014, he defeated the Democratic candidate, Mike Ross, with 55% of the votes. This victory gave the Republican Party full control of the state government for the first time in many years.
2018 Election for Governor
Hutchinson was reelected as governor on November 6, 2018. He won by a large margin, getting over 65% of the votes. This was the biggest victory margin for a Republican candidate in Arkansas history.
Time as Governor
.jpg)
Hutchinson became governor on January 13, 2015.
.jpg)
In 2015, Hutchinson said he would stop Syrian refugees from entering Arkansas. This was in response to attacks in Paris.
Under Hutchinson, Arkansas restarted executions in 2017. The state had not carried out an execution since 2005.
As governor, Hutchinson put in place rules for Medicaid recipients. These rules required them to work. By December 2018, nearly 17,000 Arkansans had lost their Medicaid health insurance.
In 2015, Hutchinson signed a law that stopped local areas from protecting LGBT individuals with civil rights. In March 2021, he signed another law. This law allowed doctors to refuse non-emergency medical care to LGBT people based on their beliefs. In April 2021, he vetoed a bill. This bill would have made it illegal for transgender minors to receive certain medical care. He called it "a vast government overreach." However, the state legislature later voted to overturn his veto.
In August 2021, Hutchinson signed laws that stopped businesses and government places from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination. He also signed a bill that stopped state and local officials from requiring masks. He later said he regretted signing the mask mandate bill. In December 2021, Hutchinson praised President Joe Biden's COVID policies. He thanked Biden for helping with vaccinations and making the federal COVID response less political. In January 2022, Hutchinson told large businesses not to follow the Biden administration's vaccine requirements.
Hutchinson stated that Republicans who tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election should not be in leadership roles. He also said that former President Donald Trump was dividing the party. He called Trump's election conspiracy theories a "recipe for disaster." On February 5, 2022, Hutchinson and Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke out against the Republican National Committee. The RNC had criticized two representatives for supporting the investigation into the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
Post-Gubernatorial Career
2024 Presidential Campaign
In May 2022, Hutchinson said he would think about running for president in 2024. He said Trump's possible candidacy would not affect his decision. He felt the country needed a different direction. On April 2, 2023, Hutchinson announced he would run for president.
Early in his campaign, Hutchinson spoke out against Trump. He asked Trump to leave the race after being charged in New York. After Trump was charged by a federal grand jury, Hutchinson criticized other Republican candidates. They had said they would pardon Trump if elected. He also disagreed with claims that the Department of Justice was unfairly targeting Trump.
Hutchinson did not agree with the Republican National Committee's rule. This rule required candidates to sign a pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee. He said he would not vote for Trump if Trump was found guilty of federal charges. He eventually signed the pledge to join the debates. However, during a debate, when asked if they would support Trump if he was convicted, he and Chris Christie were the only ones who did not raise their hands.
Hutchinson did not qualify for other debates. His poll numbers stayed low. He stopped his campaign on January 16, 2024. This was after he received very few votes in the Iowa caucuses. Days before the New Hampshire primary, Hutchinson supported Nikki Haley.
Personal Life
Hutchinson has four children with his wife, Susan Burrell.
Hutchinson's older brother, Tim Hutchinson, was also a U.S. representative and later a U.S. senator. Asa and Tim Hutchinson both went to Bob Jones University. Tim Hutchinson's twin sons, Jeremy and Timothy Chad Hutchinson, were the first twins to serve together in the Arkansas General Assembly. Asa Hutchinson's sister, Marylea Hutchinson, is married to former Arkansas state senator Kim Hendren. Asa Hutchinson's nephew is Arkansas state senator Jim Hendren.
Images for kids
-
Asa Hutchinson's signature
See also
In Spanish: Asa Hutchinson para niños
- 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Arkansas
