Gov. Hutchinson surprised by Trump victory, not interested in cabinet position

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) told reporters he was just as surprised as the rest of the nation that Donald Trump won the race to the White House. He also downplayed speculation that he has already been mentioned as a leading candidate for a top cabinet position in the President-elect’s new administration.

In a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday (Nov. 9) with reporters at the State Capitol, Hutchinson said when Arkansans went to the polls on Tuesday he thought a Hillary Clinton victory was inevitable after FBI Director James Comey ended his investigation of the former Secretary of State’s use of a private email server a few days earlier.

“I am surprised he won,” Hutchinson admitted to reporters. “I thought that the election turned again when Comey made the most recent pronouncement, and I thought that shifted the momentum to Hillary gaining confidence that you could see in the campaign. But if didn’t change the American voter.”

Hutchinson had earlier told Arkansas lawmakers during a Joint Budget hearing where he unveiled his fiscal budget for the upcoming legislative session in January that he was still trying to figure out what happened on the historic election night for the presidency.

“It was an amazing election last night, and what it reflects is that our democratic system of hard-fought and peaceful transition of power is really the envy of the world,” the governor said. “Both sides competed hard … and then there was the call acknowledging the victor and we proceed to unite our country and look forward.”

By the afternoon, Hutchinson was still in quandary about what a Trump administration will mean for the nation, Arkansas and the Republican Party. He said not only was the New York real estate mogul’s strong victory counterintuitive to most election polling, but his strength on down-ballot races was just as impressive.

He also marveled in the fact that the Republican Party not only won the U.S. House, Senate and the White House, but in the space of about a decade Arkansas has gone from a Democratic-held stronghold to a two-party state and now to a state electorate that Is reliably and comfortably “red.”

“So the people who voted for Donald Trump voted Republican down-ticket. That says they are trusting the Republican Party for change and as well as Donald Trump for change,” Hutchinson said. “So whether it is healthcare or whether it is flexibility to states or whether it is lower taxes, that is the message the American people gave to Donald Trump yesterday.”

The popular Arkansas governor also discussed the rumors that began immediately after Trump’s victory that he would be up for a top cabinet post. On Wednesday afternoon, the Wall Street Journal, citing two campaign aides, said Donald Trump’s transition team is eyeing Hutchinson as a possible nominee for U.S. Attorney General, along with Former New Jersey Gov. Christ Christie.

When asked about a possible Trump cabinet position, Hutchinson replied emphatically. “No. I am happy. How’s that for clarity?”

Later that evening, Hutchinson spokesman J.R. Davis issued this statement about the speculation: “Governor Hutchinson is not interested in a position with the new administration. He has stated several times that being Governor is the best job in America, and he has no desire to leave his current post as the state’s chief executive. As such, the Governor will continue to focus on job creation, computer science education and making government more efficient for all Arkansans.”

Hutchinson previously served as chief administrator of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. He left that position to serve as the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security when that department was organized after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. Despite at times expressing his own nervousness about a possible Trump administration, Hutchinson said he was hopeful after the Republican candidate’s acceptance speech on Wednesday morning.

“Give it time. This is what is great about our country. Secretary Clinton did an incredible job of being gracious and said it is time for our country to come together. Mr. Trump signaled (we) should unify and he reached out. We will see out this works out over the long-term,” he said.

Hutchinson said incoming presidents traditionally have a “good honeymoon” period that allows the U.S. to transition to a new national leader.

“Let’s hope there is a honeymoon and we hope that both sides reciprocate in that relationship and do something good for America. That’s my hope and my prayer.”

At the State Capitol budget, several Republican and stunned Democratic lawmakers said they were just as surprised about the Trump victory, but were also nervous about how the billionaire businessman will govern.

Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, paused for several minutes before answering when asked about Trump’s victory. He first said the biggest shock of election night was how none of the national pollsters were able to predict that the GOP nominee would beat Clinton.

“They were not polling the people that don’t historically vote. And those people came out to vote,” Collins said. “It’s going to change polling completely.”

The Republican lawmaker also said the president-elect was not on his radar when the race for the White House began with the GOP primaries.

“He certainly was not in the top 15,” Collins said. “But it is a new day. This country has survived a lot and we will try to work with whoever we have and make a good day at it. I am tickled to death that we’ve got somebody who is not a political insider now because the people have spoken.”