Hutchinson ready to take on final term

Asa Hutchinson walked into our office Wednesday morning, having agreed to spend some time answering questions on our new “Speaking of Arkansas” podcast. He spoke of the excitement he felt entering his second and, believe it or not, his final term in the governor’s office. Term limits. They’re always welcome when they force out the scoundrels and ne’re-do-wells, but get a good man or woman in a position of leadership and it seems they come too quickly. Two terms and that’s it for the governor. That’s fine when there are topnotch contenders ready to compete in the next race. Maybe there will be when Hutchinson’s time in office ends. We’ll be seeing a lot of Tim Griffin, our lieutenant governor, around the state for the next four years, for sure. Few would be surprised if Jared Henderson will be ready for another run by then, too. In the wake of November’s election loss, Henderson said he’d run again for elected office. But Hutchinson is no lame duck yet. A lot can get accomplished in four years. One might even argue Hutchinson could be more free to pursue exactly what he wants, knowing he won’t face another statewide campaign. That is, unless he decides he wants to be land commissioner or something like that. Doubtful. In a final term, might he be more willing to wield a veto on bad legislation? There’s usually plenty of it during a session, when the number of bills filed for consideration will top 2,000. He’s vetoed several bills in the past, but let other questionable efforts pass into law without his signature. Fact is, the 2019 legislative session will likely represent the pinnacle of Hutchinson’s influence. By the 2021 session, lawmakers may very well be looking toward who might be the next governor or feel they can flout the incumbent’s expectations more easily because his time will be limited. For sure, the next couple of years is when Hutchinson has the best opportunity to seal whatever legacy he’d like for his eight years of leadership in the governor’s office. I asked Hutchinson last week about lessons he’s learned not just from victories, but from defeats. He noted when he speaks to students and other groups, his introductions are always focused on his successes. But Hutchinson has made his share of concessions speeches. “The introductions never tell the students that I lost three statewide political races,” Hutchinson said. “And I share that with them.” He got 38 percent of the votes cast in his 1986 campaign for U.S. Senate, crushed by the 62 percent collected by incumbent and former Arkansas Gov. Dale Bumpers. He tried to beat Winston Bryant to become attorney general in 1990 but fell short. He earned 41 percent of the votes cast when he first ran for governor in 2006, but Democratic Attorney General Mike Beebe hauled in 56 percent. “I also say, students, when do you think I made the decision that I wanted to try to be governor? And of course, all of them think, well, in your teens or in your 20s. No, try in my 50s,” he said. “So I use it to try to encourage people, but from a personal standpoint, you know, winning’s better. I’ve enjoyed the highs, but also you can’t be too hard on yourself, because in politics particularly, it’s about timing. It’s about fighting the battle. It’s about staying in the trenches. So, I always kept that perspective in life. “Also, you just can’t overly depend on your work in public service. That’s the will of the people.”

Check out “Speaking of Arkansas” at nwaonline.com/podcast or by searching for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette podcasts on Apple podcasts or Google Play.