Rep. Asa Hutchinson
R-Arkansas


Asa Hutchinson is currently on the Judiciary, Transportation & Infrastructure, and Veterans' Affairs Committees. In addition he is on various subcommittees. He was born on December 3, 1950 in Bentonville, Ark. In 1972 he received a BS from Bob Jones University and in 1975 received a JD from the University of Arkansas. He is a Baptist who is married with four children. From 1982-85 Hutchinson was the U.S. Attorney and from 1990-1995 he was the Arkansas Republican party chairman. In 1997 he voted in favor of the ban on partial birth abortions.

The first district includes much of the state's Delta land--the flat, lowlands on both sides of the lower Mississippi River-- and stretches west to the Ozarks. This district is relatively poor, with the average median income only $18,180, and undereducated with only 26% college educated. Eighty-one percent of the 588,588 population is white. Blacks make up 18%, and Hispanics 1%. The district started out as heavily Democratic, but after the civil right revolution evened out. The first district of Arkansas in Clinton's home state gave him 58% of the vote in 1996, whereas Dole received 33%. In 1992 Clinton got 59%, while Bush only received 32%.