Gov. Asa Hutchinson

About

Asa Hutchinson was the 46th governor of the State of Arkansas. In 2018, he was re-elected with 65% of the vote, having received more votes than any other candidate for governor in the state’s history. He won recognition for the state as a leader in computer science education, cut taxes by over $250 million and signed a law that exempts the retirement pay of veterans from state income tax.

President Ronald Reagan appointed Governor Hutchinson as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. In 1996, he won the first of three successive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his third term in Congress, President George W. Bush appointed him director of the Drug Enforcement Administration and later as an undersecretary in the newly created Department of Homeland Security.

His experience established him as a national resource for his expertise on trade, energy, national security, and education. The Governor was invited to the White House several times to join discussions about health care, Medicaid and education issues.

Governor Hutchinson grew up on a small farm in Gravette. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas School or Law. He and his wife, Susan, have been married 49 years. They have four children and seven grandchildren.

The Governor was the 2021-2022 Chairman of the National Governors Association. His NGA Chairman’s Initiative focused on expanding computer science literacy.