A rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential race would be as "painful" as it was during the 2020 election, as "no one" wants history to repeat itself and because the country needs a new leader, said former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is running against Trump for the GOP nomination.
“No one wants a Biden-Trump replay of 2020," Hutchinson said Tuesday on "CNN This Morning," after Biden announced his reelection bid. "It was painful then and it would be painful again."
Hutchinson added that Biden, in his announcement, "focused on the past more."
Hutchinson earlier this month announced his candidacy for the White House, with his formal kickoff announcement planned for Wednesday in Bentonville, Arkansas.
He admitted Tuesday that Trump, as a former president, has a "bit of incumbency" in his favor.
"Even though Donald Trump lost the last election in 2020, he's still the former president, and so there's a lot of swag that goes with that," said Hutchinson.
However, Hutchinson said there is a "significant number" of Republicans who believe the GOP will have a hard time winning against Biden in a repeat race if Trump is the nominee.
"We're going to have to have a change if we're going to win," said Hutchinson. "We have some great alternatives. I'm going to be announcing in Bentonville, which I'm very excited about."
Hutchinson said his campaign will address the future and problem-solving, as well as what to do about crime and border security.
"That's what Americans are interested in," he said. "That will be the test as to who wins the nomination."
Hutchinson added that he will take his campaign a "step at a time," while making it about significant issues.
"The issues that our country faces fit with my background in law enforcement, in border security, and balancing a budget as governor," he said.
Trump, meanwhile, has double-digit leads in recent polls, while Hutchinson and other potential GOP nominees are polling in lower single digits. But Hutchinson said Tuesday he plans to build his base of support in early voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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