Asa Hutchinson Faces Boos Over Trump Remarks

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson stirred the crowd and faced a chorus of boos over the weekend when he suggested that former President Donald Trump could face felony charges next year. 

Hutchinson booed for over a minute after claiming ‘significant likelihood’ Trump will be found guilty https://t.co/NCdz3lUHSP

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Hutchinson, who is vying for the GOP presidential nomination himself, warned 

during a speech at the Florida Freedom Summit in Kissimmee, that a potential felony conviction for Trump could have far-reaching consequences for the party. 

He cited his own experience as a prosecutor to make his case, emphasizing the importance of Trump losing the primaries. “Before you vote in March, and it might not make any difference to you,” he said, “but it will make a difference for our chances to attract independent voters in November. It will make a difference for those down-ticket races for Congress and Senate, and it will weaken the GOP for decades to come.”

“As a party, we must support the rule of law,” he added.

He went further in his tackle of Trump, saying, “We cannot win as a country without integrity in the White House. And while some will ignore that destructive behavior of the former president, I assure you we ignore it at our own peril. The next generation will not look favorably back on this time.”

Hutchinson’s statement about Trump was met with a displeased response from the audience, which was filled with Republican candidates, the majority of whom are on Trump’s side.

Hutchinson is not the only Republican to face resistance from Republican voters when expressing concerns about Trump. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) have also been met with boos for making statements perceived as anti-Trump.

These reactions are not surprising given Trump’s standing with the party. A recent Quinnipiac national poll further highlights the ongoing popularity of the former president within the GOP, showing Trump leading the race for the Republican presidential nomination with 64% support. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis follows at 15%, while former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley trails at 6%. Hutchinson, Christie and Hurd do not even come close, with Christie, who has the highest polling of the three, managing to gather only 3% support.