Asa Hutchinson, a Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential race, spoke with Scripps News on Thursday after former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy and obstruction in connection with the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Hutchinson spoke about what the indictment means to the voters who are watching the 2024 Republican presidential field.
Donald Trump holds a commanding lead in early polling of GOP voters. Hutchinson says the Republican electorate won't come around to other candidates "unless someone speaks out and talks the truth and showcases that what Donald Trump did on January 6 is unacceptable and that the Republican Party should be about the rule of law and accountability and justice."
For now, Hutchinson says, it's too early to see the Jan. 6 charges have much effect on voter sentiment — but that is likely to change.
"In Iowa, I spoke to an incredible great tonight and there's really two tracks going on. As I spoke to them and they asked questions to me, Trump did not come up the indictments did not come up. They were focused on the alternative candidate, and what do they believe. They wanted to hear about ideas for the future," Hutchinson said." The other track is separate, and that is following the case as to how that develops. Now, at some point, those two are going to merge, and that's when you're going to see numbers start changing. So right now they're two separate tracks. I think that Donald Trump is in a holding position until the voters actually get a handle on this case and the facts of it."
Earlier this year, Hutchinson told Scripps News he would not offer Trump a pardon in the event of his conviction, saying discussion of such a step "should have no place in the campaign."
Hutchinson has also called on Trump to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
