Natural State News

With Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson set to move on from the highest office in the Natural State after his term expires this year, speculation has risen as to whether he'll seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2024.

Hutchinson seemingly quelled rumblings about throwing his hat into the ring, telling Red River Radio on April 12 he has more pressing matters to tend to at the moment.

"That's too far off even to consider at this point, we've got to get through the pandemic that we're still dealing with in Arkansas," the governor told the station. "The first thing that's on my plate from a national perspective is to make sure we are going in the right direction for the Republican Party that I have fought for 40 years that we have built into a majority party here in Arkansas. And I don't want to lose those historic roots that I believe are important for society."

Hutchinson also addressed recent remarks former President Donald Trump purportedly made at a Republican National Committee meeting in Florida regarding the 2020 presidential race.

Trump, whose name has also been floated around as the possible GOP standard bearer three years from now, claims the election was rife with fraud, as well as had choice words for the current party leadership.

"Well anything that's divisive is a concern and it's not helpful for us fighting the battles in Washington and at the state level," Hutchison told Red River Radio.

He said the Republicans need to put up a strong united front as there are less of them in Washington.