Asa Hutchinson faces NH voters in Exeter: Here's how they reacted to his message

EXETER — Voters had a chance to hear former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson in Exeter Tuesday and question him directly in a town hall setting. He fielded questions that ranged from the budget to opioids to support for Israel.

Hutchinson, also a former congressman who served as President George W. Bush’s Drug Enforcement Administration director, met with an intimate group of voters. It was the first of a series of town hall forums with Republican presidential candidates hosted by Seacoastonline and the USA TODAY Network.

Hutchinson is trailing significantly in the polls behind front-runner Donald Trump, as well as others like Nikki Haley, who is up next in the series on Thursday night.

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In his opening remarks, Hutchinson distanced himself from Republican frontrunner Trump by criticizing his use of across-the-board tariffs, as well as candidates who take an isolationist stance on foreign policy. He said the United States needs to stand with Israel in the face of the recent attacks from Hamas.

NH gathering questions Hutchinson

Hutchinson called for a three-pronged approach to the opioid crisis of treatment, education and addressing the Mexican cartels.

While candidates like Trump have talked about sending military forces into Mexico to take out drug cartels, Hutchinson said collaboration with the Mexican government is the way to stop the narcotics from getting in the country.

“There are some candidates that say we ought to invade Mexico,” Hutchinson said. “We don’t invade Canada because we’ve got marijuana coming in.”

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CJ Smith, a student from California attending Philips Exeter Academy, asked Hutchinson if he would implement a nationwide school choice voucher program. Hutchinson said he supported school choice but would leave it up to the states to make their own laws.

Smith disagreed but appreciated Hutchinson’s frank response.

That was great that he gave he a direct answer on student choice,” Smith said, noting some candidates do not.

To some, Hutchinson stood out from other candidates with his answers Tuesday night. Bev Cotton, saying she represented AARP, noted Hutchinson gave a unique response to her question about protecting the solvency of Social Security and Medicare. He suggested a bipartisan commission to study ways of saving Social Security, as was done under Ronald Reagan in the 1980s.

“We’ve heard a lot of different responses to those kinds of questions. This was unique,” Cotton said. “We hadn’t heard this one before.”

Doug Scamman of Stratham, a former speaker of the New Hampshire House, said even if the polls do not favor Hutchinson today, candidates like the former Arkansas governor help spark conversation. Scamman came to the town hall Tuesday with balancing the budget on his mind. Hutchinson touted his part in Congress’s balancing of the budget under President Bill Clinton.

“I think he’s going to influence people to think about what ought to be done,” Scamman said. “That’s certainly part of what campaigning is.”

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Matthew Grossman, 17, who will be able to vote next year, said he was disappointed by Hutchinson’s response to his question about relations with Saudi Arabia. He raised questions about its human rights record and alleged ties to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“As president, can you support a government headed by Mohammed bin Salman, who ordered the murder and torture of Jamal Khashoggi?” Grossman asked.

Hutchinson denounced Saudi Arabia's record on women’s rights, but his response was more pragmatic-minded than Grossman had hoped. The candidate said Saudi Arabia could become “an important counterbalance” to Iran in the Middle East.

“They don’t have to be our closest ally,” Hutchinson said. “But they can be a strategic partner if they accept the existence of Israel.”

Grossman, himself Jewish, said young voters feel frustrated with politicians remaining in the middle.

“We’re tired of old politicians being moderate about issues that really spark a fire in the youth,” Grossman said.

Jennifer Wheeler, president of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce, said she was happy to see the presidential forums happening in Exeter.

“It’s a great opportunity for Exeter to be on the national stage,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Asa Hutchinson faces NH voters at Exeter town hall