Asa Hutchinson, currently the Governor of Arkansas, said he may enter the 2024 Presidential race and will not be influenced by former President Donald Trump’s decision to run or not. He said that he is “not aligned” with Trump.

Hutchinson, a member of the Republican party, has hinted at his electoral run multiple times, the most recent one coming in a CNN interview. When asked if he was planning a 2024 run, the 71-year-old said, “I am. But you have got to get through, of course, this year, but that is an option that is on the table.”

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Asa Hutchinson is currently serving his second term as the Governor of Arkansas and is barred from running for the post again, as per the state’s term limits.

Shifting his focus to the White House now, Hutchinson has joined a new wave of Republican legislators who have distanced themselves from the former President.

“I think he did a lot of good things for our country, but we need to go a different direction. And so that is not a factor in my decision-making process”, the Arkansas Governor said in a statement.

Parting ways with Trump

Although Donald Trump may have the biggest clout in the Republican party, many lawmakers and politicians have started to speak out against the former President. 

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Many have also said they would be taking on United States elections — both legislative and executive– without his support. Beyond Hutchinson, they include Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland and House of Representatives members Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

Other candidates eyeing possible runs are Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, though they have been less clear about their intentions if Trump enters the race.