Asa Hutchinson

William Asa Hutchinson II (, AY-s@; born December 3, 1950) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician. He was the 46th Governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023. He is a Republican. He was the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration during the George W. Bush administration from 2001 to 2003. Before, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 2001.
In April 2023, Hutchinson announced his candidacy for President of the United States in the 2024 election.
Early life
Hutchinson was born in Bentonville, Arkansas. He is a descendant of Alexander Simpson Hutchinson, a government official and slave owner in South Carolina and Arkansas. He earned his bachelor's degree from Bob Jones University in 1972. He received his J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1975.
Legal career
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan hired Hutchinson as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. At age 31, Hutchinson was the nation's youngest U.S. Attorney. He helped prosecute a white supremacist organization founded by polygamist James Ellison.
Early political career
In 1986, Hutchinson unsuccessfully ran against Democratic U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers. He successfully ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1996, representing Arkansas's 3rd congressional district.
Hutchinson resigned from the U.S. House when President George W. Bush picked him to be Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. In 2003, Bush appointed Hutchinson as the Under Secretary for border and transportation security at the newly created Department of Homeland Security. Hutchinson retired from the Bush administration in 2005.
Governor of Arkansas
In 2006, Hutchinson was the Republican nominee for Governor of Arkansas, but lost to Democratic nominee Mike Beebe. In 2014, Hutchinson was again the Republican nominee for governor, this time beating the Democratic nominee, U.S. Representative Mike Ross. He was reelected in 2018.
While serving as governor, Arkansas started having executions again in 2017 after having executed no one since 2005. Under his time as governor, over 17,000 Arkansans lost their Medicaid coverage over a rule Hutchinson pushed for which required them to work.
In February 2019, Hutchinson signed a bill into law that would criminalize abortion should Roe v. Wade be overturned.
From 2020 to 2021, Hutchinson was vice chair of the National Governors Association. From 2021 to 2022, he was chair of the association.
2024 presidential campaign
In May 2022, Hutchinson said he would think about running for president in 2024 even if former President Donald Trump ran again.
On April 2, 2023, Hutchinson announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.
Personal life
In 1973, Hutchinson married Susan Burrell. They have four children.
Hutchinson's older brother, Tim, is a former U.S. representative and U.S. senator.
References
Other websites
Governor Asa Hutchinson official government site
Asa Hutchinson on Getting Our Country Back on Track
1950 births
Living people
2024 United States presidential candidates
American Baptists
Bob Jones University alumni
Governors of Arkansas
Lawyers from Arkansas
United States representatives from Arkansas
Republican Party (United States) politicians