Governor Asa Hutchinson says Donald Trump still hasn’t “passed the test” for his endorsement.
In an interview with NPR's Robert Siegel on Wednesday, Hutchinson spoke optimistically about the possibility of a contested Republican National Convention, and said he hopes to be nominated as a delegate for the state.
Speaking later to KUAR, Hutchinson said he is not ready to endorse Trump. He said the presidential front runner must unite the party, yet so far his campaign has been fueled by angry, frustrated voters, focused on change. According to Hutchinson, "voter angst" is something the whole party must address, but tapping into it may not be enough alone for Trump to succeed.
"I think that will be part of the debate at the convention," he said. "I think it's one thing to be angry now, but it's another thing to be frustrated in November because you can't bring people together and actually win."
Trump has presented himself as the anti-establishment candidate. Hutchinson recently referred to his words as “frightening,” and Trump’s campaign responded that Republican leaders like Hutchinson should be “frightened.”
Hutchinson said he wants Trump to commit to traditional Republican values, including small government, tough foreign policy, and opposition to abortion, among others.
