(NewsNation) — Asa Hutchinson, who completed two terms as Arkansas governor, announced Sunday he will seek the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Positioning himself as an alternative to Donald Trump following the former president’s indictment, Hutchinson said Trump should exit the race, saying “the office is more important than any individual person.”
While Hutchinson’s candidacy may test the Republican Party’s appetite for those who speak against Trump, The Hill’s White House columnist Niall Stanage believes Hutchinson has “very little chance of winning.”
“I think with all due respect to the former governor, it’s enormously difficult to see him ultimately winning the nomination,” Stanage told NewsNation’s Natasha Zouves. “But that said, you mentioned in your introduction, the idea that he is putting himself forth as an alternative to former President Trump, he does present a very different vision of the Republican Party. There’s a long history in both parties of candidates running who don’t really have a realistic shot of winning, but they run to put certain issues or characteristics on the table.”
Hutchinson, 72, jumped into a GOP presidential field that also includes U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are also considering bids. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is reportedly expected to join the race in the summer.
Stanage thinks most of the energy with the GOP seems to be moving towards either Trump or DeSantis.
“I don’t think he (Hutchinson) has really much jumps at all, honestly. I mean, this is a party that is dominated by the more populist strand, more aggressive, confrontational approach that is favored by two people: former President Trump and Gov. DeSantis,” Stanage said. “The kind of conservatism that former Gov. Hutchinson offers was the mainstream of the Republican Party 10, 15, 20 years ago, but the party has clearly shifted. There is almost no evidence that the Republican primary electorate is interested in buying what a candidate like former Gov. Hutchinson is selling.”
As for Hutchinson, he thinks he stands apart in the race.
“I think I stand out by stating my convictions and my vision for the country,” Hutchinson told the Associated Press. “I think that is illustrated in the last week, in how I’ve handled the Trump indictment, how I’ve handled how we need to move forward as a party and a country.”
Hutchinson left office in January after serving eight years as governor. He is slated to make his formal campaign announcement on April 26 in his hometown of Bentonville.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.