Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces run for president

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he’s running for president in 2024, positioning himself as an alternative for Republicans ready to turn the party away from Donald Trump.

Hutchinson told ABC’s “This Week” in an interview aired Sunday that he would make a formal announcement later in April in Arkansas.

“I’m running because I believe that I am the right time for America, the right candidate for our country and its future,” he said.

Hutchinson, 72, left office in January after eight years as governor. He has ramped up his criticism of the former president in recent months, calling another Trump presidential nomination the “worst scenario” for Republicans and saying it will likely benefit President Joe Biden’s chances in 2024.

“I have made a decision and my decision is I’m going to run for president of the United States,” Hutchinson said in the broadcast interview.

He added: “I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America and not simply appeal to our worst instincts.”

Speaking of Trump, he said: “I don’t believe he should be the next leader of our country.”

Get the full story here: