Joining us today is republican governor of arkansas, asa hutchinson. Thanks so much or joining us. Leanne, it is good to be with you. Looking forward to the conversation. To our viewers, we want to hear from you. If you have questions for governor hutchinson, feel free to tweet us postlive. Thanks for joining us. It has been five and a half weeks since roe v. Wade was overturned as our open mention. There was a trigger law in arkansas that banned abortion in this state, including there are no exceptions for rape or incest. I want to ask you, and one of those clips you say that you think, perhaps, there should be those exceptions. What are you able to do to ensure that, at some point in the future, those exceptions exist . Time is going to dictate states responses and experience. The legislature fairly recently passed the trigger law overwhelmingly that banned abortion, except in the case of the life of the mother. That went into effect after the Supreme Court decision. That is in effect right now. At the time that was passed, i issued a letter saying i support the additional exceptions of rape and incest. I could go through the reasons for that, but i issued that letter. People said, why didnt you veto the law . In arkansas, a veto can be overridden by a simple majority vote. It was clearly, overwhelming consensus in the legislature. I have always assigned prolife bills when they come to my desk. Now that the trigger law is in effect, and we do not have abortion except in the case of the life of the mother, you are going to have to look at months, perhaps a year of experience before there is any consensus that should be adjusted, if that is the case. We are going to have experience in arkansas and across the nation that is going to help shape public opinion, help shape the opinion of the legislators. I do not envision that being revisited during the time that i have as governor. I can see that revisited down the road, based upon experience. We will wait and see. In the interim, it is important that we make sure that we provide services that are needed. Have always in arkansas, during might leadership, we have increased the foster care coverage. We have expanded health care in arkansas. Arkansas is one of the Southern States that has the Medicaid Expansion. So that we can have Better Health care resources in our state. In addition to that, we want to be able to increase our foster care assistance. We want to make sure that we have the maternal care, we have an Application Pending before the Biden Administration to expand Maternal Health care in our rural settings. So, those are steps we want to take to make sure that the mom in the event there is an unwanted pregnancy has the resources that are needed to assist her and help her through that time. Arkansas has a lot of room to do better on some of those issues, in taking care of mothers, families, children. This state ranks 40 eighth in the country as far as childhood poverty 48 in the country as far as childhood poverty. You mentioned something helping arkansas mothers and families. Now that there are probably going to be a lot more children born. When is that going to be enough . Arkansas is a southern state. We have always had challenges in terms of health care. The fact that we are 48th or have low statistics on child health, we need to improve child health. We do not need to have a response that we are going to increase taking the life of the unborn. You have got to separate those. We have continually tried to invest more in rural health care. Arkansas went against the grain. My predecessor did Medicaid Expansion for the reasons you just indicated, trying to improve our health incomes of arkansas. I continue that as a republican governor. We shot up with access to health care. We are trying to do more, even now, with our rural hospitals to provide Wraparound Services for the mom going through a pregnancy. Also, to extend it after that child is born. We are doing all of those things, and we want to increase those health care outcomes. There is challenges that we have to address from eating habits, to exercise, all of those have been a part of a message we have in arkansas to improve health care. Do you anticipate the Arkansas Legislature legislating on issues of travel, allowing Arkansas Women to travel outside the state to obtain an abortion . Or, perhaps, order Abortion Pills online into arkansas . Well, the answer on the first part is absolutely no. We have the freedom of travel in america, and while we do not encourage, support traveling out of state to take the life of an unborn child, there is not any prohibition on that. There is no restrictions. That is the freedom we have in america. We always have our heavy ability to travel for health care outofstate, or make the decision to have the health care in state. In terms of the second part of the question, what was that again . It was about access to Abortion Pills. Well, you know, whenever you look at if it is a contraceptive, everybody has access to contraceptives. There is not any limitation on that. If you are looking at abortion, again, under the trigger law, that would be outlawed whether it is a medical abortion or whether it is a chemical abortion. Those would be prohibited except when the life of the mother is at risk. Is there a way to legislate people, or prohibiting people, from receiving those in the mail . Well, they error, you have to look at the providers. You have to understand there is nothing designed to penalize or punish the woman. That is not part of our law, we do not do that. It is restrictions the restrictions are on the providers. Obviously, it is more difficult at there are outofstate providers. That is a legal enforcement issue. There is not any effort to do any of those things in arkansas. Right now, we have the law in place. We expect it to be followed. It is being followed, to my knowledge. There is not any police that is out there, knocking on doors trying to check out things. We expect the law to be followed like it is in other cases, and if there is a violation of it, you go after the provider. Obviously, it is more difficult if they are outofstate. That can be investigated, just like any other violation of the law. Big picture, governor. Where do you see the debate on abortion access, prolife, where do you see this moving in the next few years . Not only in arkansas, but across the country . It is always a matter of education first. That is why the Prolife Movement has had success. Because of science, because of more knowledge as of as to the health of the child in the womb, their viability that abortion has been more reduced. You have a greater acceptance of a prolife viewpoint. Now that tension attention has drawn to it again, i expect the education to be a very important part of it. The experience is going to dictate any changes and exceptions. It is interesting, we are going to learn from states. States are the laboratory of democracy, you are seeing states approach this in a different way. We are going to learn from their experiences. Legislators are going to get together and share ideas. I see it as something that moves in the next couple of years, based upon the experience we have. Arkansas aright now has a very restrictive abortion policy. I think we are going to learn from each other. Adjustments can be made. I think the debate will continue. I do not see it as the all in all explosive, political issue it is being made out to be right now. It has always been an important issue to many voters. But, there is a broader range of issues that Voters Decide what candidate they want to support. I see that continuing. Right now, i think it is one of many issues that will be impacting the 2022 election. I want to change gears and talk about another issue that the house passed a few weeks ago in the senate. It could and the senate could take up in the next month, and that is marriage equality. Ensuring access to samesex marriage. Where do you stand on that legislation . Do you think that should be caught a fight at a National Level codified at a National Level . It has been accepted because of the Supreme Court ruling that recognized samesex marriages and stead said states cannot prohibit that. I do not see that changing, so that means there is not a necessity of a national law on it. It is another issue the court has said is a constitutional privilege that individuals have in our country. In terms of my view on this, i believe historically and from my personal viewpoint that a marriage is between one man and one woman. That is my personal viewpoint. I accepted very quickly the Supreme Court ruling, i made it clear that we are going to issue the licenses in arkansas to samesex couples pursuant to the Supreme Court ruling. That, i see, is continuing in the future. I do not see it changing. There is a fear factor as to whether the Supreme Court will reanalyze that previous ruling. I do not expect that. Actually, the dobbs case they decided, they made it very clear that this does not mean those other issues are going to change. The samesex marriage is a status quo in america right now, i do not see that changing anytime in the near future. Mmhmm. Another issue that congress is suggesting is the burn pit legislation, this is something that impacts veterans. The senate passed, and the house passed previously legislation to expand benefits and care for veterans that have been exposed to toxic burn pits, especially in iraq and afghanistan. But, the senate voted again last week over a technical issue. 20 five republicans switched their vote from supporting it to opposing it. Your two arkansas senators, senator cotton and senator bozeman are on opposite sides of the issue. Senator cotman has opposed it throughout the process. It could be voted on again this week. Do you think that it should pass . Is it necessary for veterans in arkansas to have this legislation to help them, who have been exposed to these burn pits . Absolutely. It needs to pass. As you described, a technical challenge needs to get fixed. They need to pass this legislation. It is critically important for our veterans. When i was in private practice, i represented veterans with claims for the veterans commission. This needs to be fixed. They need this relief. You mentioned it as a technical issue. Actually, i think it was about 480 million that the democrats added on at the last minute. It made it a much more tough vote. I would have come out in favor of the veterans support, and trying to fix that agree just spending in some other fashion. I hope and expect the senate to rectify this, to get this fixed. Lets keep it simple, straightforward. Lets help our veterans and keep Everything Else out of there. I hope that is the outcome. I am optimistic that will be, but i certainly support it. To be clear, it is an accounting measure. How do you account the 400 80 billion dollars. Pretty much, the cost of the legislation. The technical issue is how you account for it if the money can be spent in the future. You mentioned the 2022 midterm elections. Lets start with a viewer question, who asked about the midterm elections. Christopher morris from ohio says, do you believe the recent doc decision is going to energize the left and democratic voter turnout in battleground states in november . What do you think . I havent seen a great indication ordeal of that. I have followed some of the polling. Right now, the republicans are more motivated to vote in november, and more energized than the democrats. There has been some increase in the democrat intensity level. I do not see it as having the impact that the democrats are hoping for. It certainly will in some circles, but they were probably already energized. I do not see it much different in past elections. For some, the prolife or prochoice issue has been the defining issue for them to determine their vote. It will be for some, but i think the intensity level this year is going to be based upon their rising cost of food and gasoline. It is going to be about the economy, it is going to be about the recession that i am worried about is going to start costing jobs in the coming months. Those are the worries that are going to decide the vast majority of voters decision, and it is going to impact the intensity level. Something that has stuck out to me in recent state of polling, so many people, republicans and democrats both think the country is moving in the wrong direction. Republicans will say that the reason is because of the economy. Democrat, republican analysts i should say, that polling suggested that the economy. Analysts and poll watchers say that is perhaps because of fears of the economy, but other issues including things like abortion, things about Mass Shootings in this country. What do you sense beyond the economy is stressing voters out at this point . If you look on the democratic side, what they are upset about our some Supreme Court decisions. If you look at what is motivating republicans, it is Violent Crime in our major cities. It is the Border Security issues, it is our respect abroad and our support of the military. If you look at independents, i think it is the economy that drives them. I believe the support of Law Enforcement, i think the democrats realize that a serious error was made in their discussion of defunding the police. That lack of support for our Law Enforcement has cost us in terms of what has happened in our urban areas particularly, but Violent Crime increases across the country. Even though you live in a rural area, we like to visit chicago. We like to go to new york. We value the safety in those streets. That is a highly motivating factor for republicans and independents as we go to the polls this year. There is a vast range of concerns that are out there, and one of them is the Border Security issues. This is something that, whenever you see the mayor of washington, d. C. Asking for National Guards because of undocumented immigrants coming into that city and frustrating there Human Services that they need to provide. This is an issue that weighs on america, that has to be addressed. That is going to motivate voters in the fall. You are one of the republicans who have been critical of donald trump. Said that he had disqualified himself as a 2024 president ial candidate because of january 6. Do you still stand by that . I do still stand by that. I do not drive that message every day, but i answer questions when i am asked. I stand by that, i believe that. What is important to me is that, we need to talk about 2024 after the election this fall. I know the timeline is accelerating, former President Trump is a reason for that. He is out there talking about 2000 2024 constantly. Whenever he does that, he becomes the issue in this years election. It is not good for republican candidates if trump is the issue. We need to be talking about our solutions and our philosophy of reduced to government and lower taxes, less regulation and driving our economy forward and controlling spending. Those are issues and solutions that we offer that are critically important, the rule of law and supporting Law Enforcement. If we get sidetracked on a personality that is divisive as donald trump, that does not bode well for the outcome in november. We are going to do well, i have no doubt about that. We lose ground whenever donald trump comes the issue. Do you think the party needs to move beyond donald trump . You know, it is hard whenever you have such a visible former president that is out there holding campaign rallies. He becomes a topic, and that is probably what he loves. In terms of the grassroots of our party, he has got a significant following. Any candidate that wants to be president has to be able to identify with the issues that donald trump is able to drive. These are real concerns, ones that i just articulated from a conservative message on crime and inflation. He is talking about those same things. We are all on the same page in terms of the major issues. He distracts the voters over to himself, and it becomes about him versus the issues and the problemsolving that we need to focus on. That is what our candidates, we are gonna win gubernatorial races, senate races, congressional races, we have got to talk about solutions, problemsolving and optimism about our future. That is what voters will respond to, it cannot be about the past and dwelling about the hurt feelings in the past. Have you been watching the january 6 select Committee Hearings . I have. What do you think . I think they have had an impact. Whenever you see republican staffers that work in the white house that are doing the countries were, and they come in and talk about a president that is disengaged in terms of calling out the national guard, the lack of action in addressing the writing at the capital rioting at the capital, this should be a concern of every american that we had a president during that time that allowed that to go on, and threatened the peaceful transfer of power. In terms of the hearings, it is emphasizing those facts. I do not see how the january 6 hearings themselves are making the case against president. That is a high burden of proof. I think the attorney general has got a tough call there, but i have not seen the actual case being presented affectively in terms of criminal conduct on the president. I think they made the case that he was he responsible, he was derelict in his duties. It has at an impact, we will it has had an impact, we will see where it goes from there. Liz cheney could lose her reelection in a couple weeks against the more conservative primary opponent, who is backed by donald trump. What does it say if the Republican Party if people like liz cheney lose because of their stance on january 6, and also, we are going to see more texts from the republicans in the coming weeks who voted to impeach donald trump because of january 6. Same question, what does it say if the Republican Party, people like this, cannot win in a republican primary . I think you had, from the secretary of state in georgia that won after he took a stand against trumps pressure to change the election results, you have seen brian kemp who President Trump did not support. You have mixed results out there across the country. To me, it shows that we have a Republican Party that is in transition. We have a Republican Party that is having an internal behavior an internal debate, and those are always painful. We always see that if we are going to have candidates who win, we cannot be simply talking about the last election. Liz cheney has done an amazing job in terms of taking a courageous stance, cochairing or vice chair of that committee. It is a tremendous, political cost because her electorate once her back there talking about the rising costs of fuel, and the challenges that they have. Every candidate cannot be so focused on the past that you are not addressing those issues. I think she is paying a price for that. You are term limited, so you are not able to run for reelection. You also just passed on your chair, chairmanship of the National Governors association to democratic governor saul murphy. You have talked about bipartisanship in those roles, do you think it is easier as a governor to work in a bipartisan way then perhaps in congress . I know you have not served in congress, but you are very involved in politics. Actually, i did serve in congress. As a member, not a senator. Yes. That is right. I have had that experience, and perhaps, i remember in congress we probably had the last bipartisan training sessions and conferences when democrats and republicans got together. So, the partisanship has increased over the years in congress, and it has made them less effective in terms of the ability to get things done. As governors, we have the pressure of getting things done every day. Of solving problems, hitting the issues. It forces us to find solutions. Whenever you have to find solutions and take action, that brings people together. There is plenty of differences that i think the National Governors association is one of the last bastions of partisanship that has proven to be effective. You have to pick your issues. We are not going to agree on roe v. Wade, too big of differences there. But, we can share information. We can work on infrastructure, we worked on the chips at together chips act together. Our message made a difference. It has been a great experience for me, it reflects my view that, while there is serious fights in washington, we still need to get things done. If that takes crossing the island working together, that crossing the aisle and working together, that is my cup of tea. That is what america wants to see. Last question. You have spent nearly 40 years in public service. As i mentioned before, you are term limited. What are your plans next . Do you have any ambitions to run for president in 2024 . As i sort of made the point, it is critical that we save that until after november of this year. Obviously, i am thinking about it. I am not going to be having any decision until next january. We are going to focus on this year. 2024 is so critical in terms of shaping the Republican Party. Whether it is as a candidate, or whether it is in some other role, i certainly want to be a voice. This is an important point. Somehow, people think that if you are not 100 pure behind donald trump, somehow, you are a moderate. My record is as conservative as anyone in the United States of america. I am able to reach across the aisle to get things done. It is effective message. I think the test in 2024m cant 2024, can a conservative who has a more optimistic view of america, who does not resort to personal grievances, can that person win . That is who i want to support in the fight for 2024. Governor hutchinson, that sounds like a definite maybe. We will be watching. Thank you so much for your time. Thanks for the opportunity, it is great to be with you. To our viewers, thank you for watching. You can find this transcript or the entire program and