After months of ruling out supporting fellow Republican Donald Trump for president and saying several times that the former president's behavior during the Jan. 6, 2021, incident on Capitol Hill "disqualifies him" from leading our country again," former Arkansas Gov. and 2024 presidential hopeful Asa Hutchinson has mellowed in his opposition to a comeback by Trump.
"I haven't made any endorsement," Hutchinson told Newsmax on Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where the Razorback State Republican said he was coming to have "some conversations with people."
Hutchinson, 74, avoided any harsh words about Trump and said he was moved by the former president's statement following the attempt on his life Saturday.
"It was a fantastic healing moment," he said, "I expect his message [in his acceptance speech Thursday] will be to heal and not divide. I hope he'll provide words of leadership [in his speech]."
Jan. 6 notwithstanding, Hutchinson has had other disagreements with Trump on major issues. He has long decried what he called "the withdrawal of U.S. leadership of our allies in the world" and Trump's support of protectionism on trade.
"And we're not spending any time on how to end the national debt," he added, citing a particular concern of his.
Hutchinson added that "I recognize we have only two choices — Biden and Trump."
Pressed as to whether that means he will reluctantly vote for Trump, he replied: "There are many fine conservatives I could write in but I haven't made any decision."
On the convention floor, as they were cheering on Hutchinson's successor Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, many Arkansas delegates made it clear the former governor would not be welcome because of his past words about Trump.
"He would not get a floor pass to join us and I don't know how they even let him in the convention center," said state Sen. Mark Johnson.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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