Ex-Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Launches Presidential Campaign

(Reuters) – Brace yourselves, folks! The 2024 presidential race just got a whole lot more interesting with the formal launch of former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson’s campaign. In his announcement speech, Hutchinson positioned himself as a moderate alternative to the current Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump.

At 72 years old, Hutchinson’s bid may be considered a long-shot, but he’s already made waves by breaking with Trump earlier this year after the former president’s criminal indictment in March. Unlike other Republican candidates who rallied behind Trump, Hutchinson called for him to pull out of the race.

In his speech, Hutchinson didn’t mention Trump by name, but he did criticize the former president’s isolationist approach to foreign policy. “Isolationism only leads to weakness and weakness leads to war,” he said.

While Hutchinson may not have much name recognition nationally, he’s hoping to appeal to Republican primary voters as a more moderate option compared to Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is also expected to announce his presidential campaign soon. However, moderation can be a tough sell in a primary battle that typically attracts conservative voters.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting race!

(Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Alistair Bell)