Tim Hutchinson
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| Tim Hutchinson | |
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| In office January 7, 1997 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | David Pryor |
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| Succeeded by | Mark Pryor |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 2, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | John P. Hammerschmidt |
| Succeeded by | Asa Hutchinson |
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| Born | August 11, 1949 Bentonville, Arkansas |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | 1) Donna Hutchinson (divorced) 2) Randi Fredholm |
| Religion | Baptist |
Timothy "Tim" Hutchinson (born August 11, 1949) is a Republican politician and former senator from the state of Arkansas.
Hutchinson was born in Bentonville, Arkansas, and he graduated from Bob Jones University. He currently practices law and is a resident of Alexandria, Virginia.
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[edit] Early political career
Hutchinson served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1985 to 1992. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican in 1992, representing the 3rd District to succeed retiring incumbent John P. Hammerschmidt. He defeated a fellow Republican state lawmaker Richard L. Barclay of Rogers, also from Benton County. Hutchinson served in the House until 1997, after being elected to the United States Senate.
[edit] United States Senator
[edit] 1996 election
Hutchinson ran for the Senate seat being vacated by popular Democrat David Pryor in 1996. Initially, the leading Republican candidate was Lieutenant Governor Mike Huckabee. When Democratic Governor Jim Guy Tucker resigned after being convicted of mail fraud, however, Huckabee assumed the governorship and dropped out of the Senate race[1]; Hutchinson entered soon after and captured the Republican nomination. He would face state Attorney General Winston Bryant in the general election. Even though native son Bill Clinton carried the state by a 17 point margin over Bob Dole in the presidential race, [2] Hutchinson defeated Bryant 53%-47% to become the first Republican Senator from Arkansas since Reconstruction.
[edit] Actions in the Senate
His voting record was conservative: he is pro-life, supports tax cuts, supports de-regulation of the economy, supports the death penalty and a Constitutional amendment banning flag burning, opposes same-sex marriage, and opposes expanding hate crimes legislation.
He served on the Armed Services Committee, Aging Committee, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Veterans' Affairs Committee. He was one of 16 co-sponsors of the Iraq Resolution (S.J.RES.46)[3].
[edit] 2002 re-election campaign
Hutchinson faced a tough re-election campaign in 2002 against Attorney General Mark Pryor, David Pryor's son. During his term as Senator, Hutchinson divorced his wife of twenty-nine years and then married a congressional aide in 2000. Though Hutchinson denied any impropriety and Pryor refused to make it an issue in the campaign, the divorce was well known to his constituents and substantially hurt his popularity. Pryor was also helped by the presence of his still popular father in a campaign commercial[4]. Hutchinson lost to Pryor by eight points, making him the only Republican incumbent to be defeated that year [5].
[edit] Family
His twin sons, Timothy and Jeremy Hutchinson, were both members of the Arkansas House. Tim, Jr. represented parts of the communities of Rogers and Lowell while Jeremy represented part of Pulaski and Saline counties.
His brother Asa Hutchinson was his successor in the House of Representatives and later served as director of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
[edit] External links
- Senate website archived by the Library of Congress
- Tim Hutchinson at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Hutchinson on the issues
| United States House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by John P. Hammerschmidt |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 3rd congressional district 1993 – 1997 |
Succeeded by Asa Hutchinson |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by David Pryor |
United States Senator (Class 2) from Arkansas 1997 – 2003 Served alongside: Dale Bumpers, Blanche Lincoln |
Succeeded by Mark Pryor |
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