​Republican Asa Hutchinson, former governor of the state of Arkansas (South), has announced his candidacy for the US presidential election in 2024 and believes that Donald Trump should abandon the race for the White House, given his recent accusation, reports AFP.

Donald Trump at a pre-election rally Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP/Profimedia

“I am running for president of the United States,” 72-year-old Asa Hutchinson announced to the American ABC News on Sunday.

“I present an alternative to former President Donald Trump” (2017-2021), he emphasized, announcing that he was addressing Trumpist voters.

“I think we need border protection. We need a strong America. And I think we need to spend less at the federal level. Those are the values ​​I represent,” said Asa Hutchinson.

The former governor of the South American state said Trump should withdraw his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election after he was indicted by a New York court on Thursday.

He has a different opinion than other Republicans, who have blocked the trial of the former American president, whom they represent as a martyr.

“First, the function is more important than any person. And for the sake of the presidency, I think this (his indictment) is too much of a distraction and that he needs to focus on the trial,” he said.

“I have always said that people should not leave their public offices if they are investigated, but if it comes to the stage of a criminal investigation, they should be held accountable,” Asa Hutchinson emphasized.

Asa Hutchinson, who served as governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023, passed a law in 2021 that would almost completely ban abortion in the state.

In addition to Donald Trump, he will meet with the former ambassador to the United Nations, ex-governor of the state of South Carolina Nikki Haley, who announced her first candidacy against the billionaire in the Republican primary.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) responded in a statement saying that Asa Hutchinson “is yet another extremist entering the growing race for the MAGA (Make America Great Again, Donald Trump slogan) base. (news.ro)