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| Asa Hutchinson | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asa Hutchinson |
| Caption | Hutchinson in 2015 |
| Birth date | 3 December 1950 |
| Birth place | Batesville, Arkansas |
| Party | Republican Party |
| Alma mater | Bob Jones University; University of Arkansas School of Law |
| Occupation | Attorney; Politician |
| Office | 46th Governor of Arkansas |
| Term start | January 13, 2015 |
| Term end | January 10, 2023 |
| Predecessor | Mike Beebe |
| Successor | Sarah Huckabee Sanders |
| Spouse | Susan Hutchinson |
Asa Hutchinson is an American attorney and politician who served as the 46th Governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Arkansas's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 2001 and held federal appointments in the George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations. Hutchinson has been involved in criminal justice, homeland security, and regulatory reform initiatives at state and federal levels.
Hutchinson was born in Batesville, Arkansas and raised in Dell, Arkansas and Fayetteville, Arkansas. He attended Bob Jones University and later earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law. During his formative years he was influenced by regional conservative networks tied to the Southern Baptist Convention and civic organizations in Arkansas County, Arkansas and Washington County, Arkansas.
After law school Hutchinson served as a prosecutor in the Benton County, Arkansas prosecuting attorney's office and later as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas under President George H. W. Bush. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton's successor era Republican administrations to roles that included service on the Drug Enforcement Administration and as head of the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service transition efforts. Under President George W. Bush Hutchinson was the first Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration-related task forces and served as the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security at the United States Department of Homeland Security; he worked with agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, and the Transportation Security Administration.
Elected to the United States House of Representatives representing Arkansas's 3rd congressional district, Hutchinson sat on committees including the House Judiciary Committee and the House Commerce Committee. He worked on legislation involving Child Exploitation and Obscenity statutes, intellectual property matters affecting Recording Industry Association of America concerns, and regulatory reform aligned with the Federal Communications Commission. Hutchinson later engaged with advocacy groups such as the American Conservative Union and policy organizations including the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute while maintaining ties to Arkansas think tanks and business groups like the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce.
As governor Hutchinson succeeded Mike Beebe and coordinated with state institutions including the Arkansas General Assembly, University of Arkansas System, and the Arkansas Department of Human Services. His administration worked with federal counterparts such as the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency Management Agency during natural disaster responses and criminal justice reforms involving the Arkansas Supreme Court. Hutchinson appointed officials to statewide posts and engaged with municipal leaders from Little Rock, Arkansas to Fort Smith, Arkansas and Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Hutchinson pursued policies on criminal justice reform interacting with organizations like the American Correctional Association and collaborated on sentencing initiatives influenced by the First Step Act debates in the United States Congress. He signed legislation concerning tax measures debated by the National Conference of State Legislatures and advanced regulatory changes that affected energy projects involving Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation and pipeline proposals tied to Energy Transfer Partners. On social policy Hutchinson took positions that placed him in dialogue with the National Rifle Association, Planned Parenthood Federation of America critics, and faith-based groups connected to the Southern Baptist Convention. In public health matters he coordinated vaccine and opioid response efforts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Hutchinson also emphasized workforce development partnerships with the U.S. Department of Labor and regional education entities including the Arkansas Department of Education and University of Arkansas campuses.
Hutchinson won election to the United States House of Representatives in the 1996 and 1998 cycles representing Arkansas's 3rd district, and left Congress to accept a federal appointment in 2001. He was elected governor in the 2014 Arkansas gubernatorial election and re-elected in the 2018 Arkansas gubernatorial election, defeating opponents endorsed by groups such as the Democratic Party and various state political action committees. Hutchinson also launched a campaign in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries cycle, participating in debates hosted by organizations including the Republican National Committee and media outlets like Fox News and CNN.
Hutchinson is married to Susan Hutchinson and is the father of three children; the family has been associated with religious and civic institutions including the First Baptist Church (Little Rock, Arkansas) and regional philanthropic organizations such as the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. He has connections with legal associations like the American Bar Association and veterans' groups such as the American Legion. Hutchinson's siblings and relatives have been active in Arkansas public life and business networks including the Walgreens regional presence and local chambers of commerce.
Category:1950 births Category:Governors of Arkansas Category:Republican Party (United States) politicians