Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Embraces Ranked Choice Voting as a Solution for Broad Appeal Candidates
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Embraces Ranked Choice Voting as a Solution for Broad Appeal Candidates
In a recent episode of The Purple Principle podcast, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson expressed his newfound support for ranked choice voting as a means to elect candidates with the broadest appeal. Initially skeptical of the voting system, Hutchinson now sees it as a meaningful solution to ensure candidates must appeal to a wide swath of the American electorate.
Hutchinson, who ran for the GOP presidential nomination in the 2024 cycle, has an extensive political resume, including serving in Congress, heading the DEA under President George W. Bush, and being governor of Arkansas. Despite his experience, Hutchinson represents part of the political establishment that has historically rejected nonpartisan solutions to improve elections.
However, Hutchinson is now part of a growing list of politicians, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis and US Senators Mitt Romney and Joe Manchin, who support nonpartisan electoral reform like ranked choice voting. They believe that RCV can strengthen candidates from all parties and ensure equal voting rights for all citizens.
Ranked choice voting has gained bipartisan support as a nonpartisan solution to improve choice, competition, and accountability in elections. Hutchinson’s endorsement of RCV highlights the growing recognition among Republicans that the system does not inherently benefit one party over the other, making it a truly nonpartisan solution.
To hear Hutchinson’s thoughts on ranked choice voting, you can watch the full episode of The Purple Principle podcast featuring him. His support for RCV adds to the momentum for electoral reform that prioritizes broad appeal candidates and equal voting rights for all citizens.
