Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced on a Sunday morning political show that he is running for the Republican nomination for president. He also called for former President Trump to withdraw from the primary race. Neither of these things will come to fruition.

Hutchinson may jump into the primary but he won’t last very long, maybe not even until the first primary. Get back to me after the New Hampshire primary.

As far as Trump’s candidacy, in what world is Hutchinson living? Trump isn’t going anywhere. He raised over $4M on his indictment and upcoming arraignment, for heaven’s sake. Trump has hit pay dirt here and he’ll ride it all the way to the Republican nomination. To be clear, I don’t like thinking that Trump will be the GOP nominee in 2024 but it very well may be that D.A. Alvin Bragg has assured this scenario will come true.

Both Republicans and Democrats have come forward to say that the charges against Trump in New York are malarkey. It is an attempt to keep him out of the race. It is election interference but since it’s being done by a New York Democrat, a black D.A. who is supported by the far left (he was recruited by Justice Democrats and benefitted from Soros money), the case will move forward. And, conveniently, the judge that will hear the case is the same one who ruled against the Trump organization in a previous case. Trump’s accusation of a witch hunt is perfectly legit in this circumstance.

But, I digress. Hutchinson made his announcement to ABC’s Jonathan Karl on ABC’s This Week. That’s all you need to know that Hutchinson is not a serious candidate. It takes a certain kind of tone-deaf Establishment-type to go to ABC and declare a decision has been made to enter the race. He said he’ll make a formal announcement later this month in Bentonville, Arkansas.

EXCLUSIVE: Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces 2024 presidential bid.

“This is one of the most unpredictable political environments that I've seen in my lifetime. So my message of experience, of consistent conservatism…I think that that resonates.” https://t.co/DmytxAAfAL pic.twitter.com/ETkXVQUXso

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 2, 2023

Hutchinson didn’t criticize Bragg. He did Bragg’s bidding, and the bidding of Democrats, and said Trump should drop out of the race. Even the anti-Trump Washington Post said the indictment against Trump was wrong. Hutchinson is part of the status quo Republican Party that brought about the rise of Trump and the wave of populism in today’s Republican Party. He’s too concerned about Democrats liking him and less concerned about what average American voters want. At this point, Hutchinson is a dinosaur Republican. He’s past his expiration date in conservative politics.

After announcing his 2024 presidential bid, Asa Hutchinson tells @jonkarl that Trump indictment is “a great distraction."

"We can’t set aside what our Constitution requires, which is electing a new leader…We can't be sidetracked for a year and a half.” https://t.co/DmytxAAfAL pic.twitter.com/tQ4M8AotXq

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 2, 2023

Hutchinson could have gone off on Bragg and said how he morphed a misdemeanor charge that had passed its statute of limitation window into an alleged felony. But, he didn’t. He’s just begging for media love and trashing Trump. Maybe he’s looking for a gig on ABC as a talking head. Hutchinson refused to say he would endorse Trump if he is the nominee. That attitude used to be verboten in Republican politics. Republicans were expected to support the party’s nominee. At the very least, Reagan’s commandment that said Republicans are not to speak poorly against other Republicans would be in effect. Oh well. That was then, this is now.

“I am going to be running. And the reason, as I’ve traveled the country for six months, I hear people talk about the leadership of our country, and I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts,” Hutchinson said during an interview with Jonathan Karl on ABC’s “This Week.” “I believe I can be that kind of leader for the people of America.”

I don’t have anything against Hutchinson as a man. I used to think he was a solid Republican politician, and he was. For example, it is as a post in National Review points out.

During Hutchinson’s time in the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock, he gained notoriety for resuming capital punishment executions and supporting a ban of Syrian refugees from entering Arkansas in the wake of the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.

Law and order. National security. Those are solid issues for Republicans. He has solid cred in politics. Besides serving two terms as Governor of Arkansas, he was a U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Arkansas, the first undersecretary of border and transportation security at DHS, the administration of DEA, and a congressman. He has the experience but his time has passed. He is a part of the wing of the GOP that is out of step with the majority of Republican voters. He’s Mr. Nice Guy when voters want a fighter that will take it to Biden and the Democrats. Biden and his minions are trashing MAGA Republicans every day and that will only increase as we move closer to the election. Trump, DeSantis, and even Nikki Haley are fighters. Hutchinson wants to be liked. He wants to get along.

It is to Trump’s advantage if the Republican field gets cluttered up with too many candidates that have no chance of victory. We don’t need another 2015 primary season. That allowed Trump to secure the nomination with about 30 percent of the vote in some primary races. We need to do better this time. Politicians with no path forward need to set their egos aside and sit this one out.