Former Gov. Hutchinson headed to Iowa, Midwest this week

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is headed to Iowa and other midwestern states this week ahead of his formal launch of a 2024 campaign for the Republican Presidential nomination.

Hutchinson, 72, told ABC News on April 2nd he planned to run for U.S. President and would have an official kick-off in Bentonville later in the month.

His Iowa tour is his sixth trip to the Hawkeye State this year, but his first since declaring he would seek the GOP nomination. His stops in Iowa, the first state that will caucus for GOP presidential candidates, will include participating in a meet-and-greet with members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Des Moines. He will also attend an event titled “Fentanyl Crisis in the Heartland.” He will conclude this trip with a stop in Ankeny to join the Conservative Club for breakfast, according to a campaign press release.

“I am excited to return to Iowa and continue having conversations about the direction our country is headed and the type of leaders America needs,” Hutchinson said. “Conversations like these in Iowa help shape the narrative for the rest of the country. I look forward to meeting with as many Iowans as possible.”

From Iowa, Hutchinson will head to Indianapolis, Indiana and Bowling Green, Kentucky to fill out his week of travel.

With former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis being the most talked-about Republican candidates in the field, Hutchinson has not registered much, if at all, in any national or state polls in early primary states. Other announced GOP candidates for President in 2024 include former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Hutchinson has often been critical of former President Donald Trump, who was indicted last week and is considered the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. Hutchinson has called on Trump to “step aside.”