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WASHINGTON — Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he has met the donor threshold to participate in the first GOP primary debate after a swell of contributions that followed GOP frontrunner Donald Trump’s indictments for alleged election interference.
Hutchinson said he surpassed the required 40,000 unique donors on Saturday evening. The insurgent Republican candidate attributed the donor surge to his sharp warnings about the GOP’s future with Trump as its leader.
“He’s not the right one to lead our party, and that I’m going get on the debate stage and speak the truth,” Hutchinson told USA TODAY in an interview. “We need new leadership and a new direction, and he’s not going to define our party for the future.”
Having satisfied a polling requirement, Hutchinson is now expected to meet the Republican National Committee’s criteria to participate in the party’s Aug. 23 debate in Milwaukee. Hutchinson’s campaign says he will sign the party’s loyalty pledge and agree to support the Republican nominee for president – another requirement the Republican National Committee put in place that has threatened some candidates’ participation.
Hutchinson’s campaign said their average donation is $29.35 since the beginning of the campaign.
It was a struggle for Hutchinson to wrangle donors. Two weeks ago he had not reached the halfway point, despite announcing his bid in April, and his inclusion in the debate seemed unlikely. Hutchinson posted up in Iowa during its state fair, leaving once to attend his grandson’s wedding. His fundraising gained momentum after he went on a national television blitz and Trump was indicted for a fourth time.
The vocal Trump critic told USA TODAY in March, before Trump’s first indictment, that the former president should quit the race, if he faced criminal charges.
“My message a year ago seemed out of place, but now it seems very relevant and people agree with it,” Hutchinson said after his donor surge. “Whether they accept the legitimacy of the charges or not, and they know he’s entitled to his day in court, they also know that someone cannot lead us to victory in a November election and attract independents and suburban voters with that kind of turmoil going on.”
Trump’s behavior on Jan. 6, 2021 is disqualifying, Hutchinson said. And his conduct is repelling voters, the former governor said.
“People have seen a different Donald Trump that is focused on getting even and retribution and focusing on, again, the past and how he’s personally impacted versus the good of the country. All of that combined has caused people to say we need to have alternatives on that debate stage, and clearly they identified my voice as someone that should be there.”
A total of 10 candidates, including Hutchinson, say they have met the RNC’s debate criteria, although the party has not formally announced Wednesday’s lineup and is disputing some of the claims. Trump says he won’t sign the required loyalty pledge and will probably not attend the debate. The RNC also says that Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has not qualified.
Candidates wishing to debate have until Monday evening to sign the pledge, achieve the required number of donors, 200 of which must come from at least 20 different states, and demonstrate enough voter support, which can be done through national polls or a combination of early state and national surveys that meet the party’s standards.
Hutchinson polls under 1% nationally on average. Trump has the support of more than half the GOP and just under 54% of Republican voters for the party’s presidential nomination.
A former federal prosecutor who served two terms as Arkansas’ governor before leaving office earlier this year, Hutchinson is vying to win over disaffected Republicans who have broken with Trump. He has been unable to break out in the packed GOP field and has limited resources to compete. Like most of the candidates at Monday’s debate, he is counting on having a breakout moment.
Hutchinson said his courtroom experience will help him to have unscripted moments and respond to the issues that are raised in the moment.
“The best advice I have ever had about the debate is make sure you’re not boring,” he said. “So I hope that there’s a lively debate between the candidates and our differences, which are significant in some areas.”
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