Asa Hutchinson

Governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023

William Asa Hutchinson II (/ˈsə/, AY-sə; 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.[1] Before, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 2001. Hutchinson unsuccessfully ran for President of the United States in the 2024 election.[2][3]

Asa Hutchinson
46th Governor of Arkansas
In office
January 13, 2015 – January 10, 2023
LieutenantTim Griffin
Preceded byMike Beebe
Succeeded bySarah Huckabee Sanders
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office
July 8, 2021 – July 15, 2022
Vice ChairPhil Murphy
Preceded byAndrew Cuomo
Succeeded byPhil Murphy
Vice Chair of the National Governors Association
In office
August 5, 2020 – July 8, 2021
ChairAndrew Cuomo
Preceded byAndrew Cuomo
Succeeded byPhil Murphy
Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security
In office
January 23, 2003 – March 1, 2005
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byRandy Beardsworth (acting)
8th Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration
In office
August 8, 2001 – January 23, 2003
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byDonnie R. Marshall
Succeeded byKaren Tandy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 3rd district
In office
January 3, 1997 – August 6, 2001
Preceded byTim Hutchinson
Succeeded byJohn Boozman
Chair of the Arkansas Republican Party
In office
January 1, 1991 – December 31, 1995
Serving with Sheffield Nelson (1990–1992)
Preceded byKen Coon
Succeeded byLloyd Vance Stone Jr.
United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas
In office
September 1, 1982 – January 20, 1985
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded byLarry McCord
Succeeded byMichael Fitzhugh
Personal details
Born
William Asa Hutchinson II

(1950-12-03) December 3, 1950 (age 73)
Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Susan Burrell (m. 1973)
Children4
RelativesTim Hutchinson (brother)
EducationBob Jones University (BA)
University of Arkansas (JD)
Signature

Early life change

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.[4][5][6] 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 change

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.[7]

Early political career change

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 change

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.[8][9][10] Under his time as governor, over 17,000 Arkansans lost their Medicaid coverage over a rule Hutchinson pushed for which required them to work.[11]

In February 2019, Hutchinson signed a bill into law that would criminalize abortion should Roe v. Wade be overturned.[12]

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 change

In May 2022, Hutchinson said he would think about running for president in 2024 even if former President Donald Trump ran again.[13]

On April 2, 2023, Hutchinson announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.[14][15]

Hutchinson announced the suspension of his campaign on January 16, 2024, the day after the Iowa Republican caucus.[3]

Personal life change

In 1973, Hutchinson married Susan Burrell. They have four children.[16]

Hutchinson's older brother, Tim, is a former U.S. representative and U.S. senator.

References change

  1. "Did Bush-Era DEA Endorse Medical Marijuana?". The Weed Blog. Retrieved Jan 14, 2015.
  2. Wiersema, Alisa (April 2, 2023). "ABC News exclusive: Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces 2024 presidential run". ABC News. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Vakil, Caroline (January 16, 2024). "Hutchinson drops out of 2024 GOP primary". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  4. Hutchinson, Frederick McAlpine (1947). The Hutchinson family of Laurens County, South Carolina, and descendants. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. Houston, Texas: A. Jones Press.
  5. "A S Hutchison in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules". Ancestry Library. 1850. Name: A S Hutchison; Residence Date: 1850; Residence Place: Laurens, South Carolina, USA; Number of Enslaved People: 12
  6. "A S Hutchison in the 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules". Ancestry Library. 1860. Name: A S Hutchison; Residence Date: 1860; Residence Place: Brewer, Pike, Arkansas, USA; Number of Enslaved People: 8
  7. Selyukh, Alina (December 21, 2012). "U.S. gun lobby ally to lead NRA plan for armed guards at schools". Reuters. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  8. "Arkansas' governor opens up about his rapid execution schedule". NBC News. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  9. "Arkansas' governor is 'fighting back' to execute five men in 10 days. But why?". The Guardian. April 18, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  10. Dwyer, Colin (April 14, 2017). "Federal Court Blocks 7 Executions Set For 11-Day Span In Arkansas". NPR. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  11. Hardy, Benjamin (December 17, 2018). "Update: Work requirement ends Medicaid coverage for 4,600 more Arkansans in December". Arkansas Times. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  12. Gstalter, Morgan (February 19, 2019). "Arkansas governor signs 'trigger' abortion ban bill". The Hill. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  13. Cole, Devan (May 1, 2022). "Arkansas GOP governor says he's considering 2024 bid and would run even if Trump does". CNN. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  14. Stracqualursi, Veronica; Iyer, Kaanita (April 2, 2023). "Former Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces White House bid". CNN. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  15. Wiersema, Alisa (April 2, 2023). "ABC News exclusive: Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces 2024 presidential run". ABC News. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  16. Edmonds, Revis (July 18, 2019). "Susan Burrell Hitchinson". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved October 4, 2021.

Other websites change