Arkansas GOP Governor Asa Hutchinson Spars With Tucker Carlson Over Decision to Veto Youth Transgender Transition Ban Bill

Previously, we reported that the Arkansas House of Representatives and Senate overrode the state’s Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson, who vetoed a bill yesterday to prohibit anyone under 18 in from undergoing gender reassignment surgery or receiving hormone therapies.

Hutchinson, who frequently appears on shows like NBC’s “Meet The Press,” was a guest tonight with Tucker Carlson on Fox News.

Carlson began by saying that although he thinks of Hutchinson as a conservative, he believes that Hutchinson has recently come out on being “pro-choice” about “chemical castration of children.”

Hutchinson accused Carlson of not being totally truthful about the language of the bill and called the bill “overbroad” and “extreme.”

“I made it clear that if this was about prohibiting procedures, sex reassignment procedures, I would have signed that bill,” Hutchinson insisted, while also somewhat contradicting himself by saying that he doesn’t believe the government should be involved with these decisions.

Carlson interrupted Hutchinson and rebutted that hormone therapies are, in fact, chemical castrations. He then asked if government shouldn’t be involved with this, why be involved with things like minors drinking alcohol.

Hutchinson then invoked William Buckley and Ronald Reagan and said that limited government is the Republican position, once again suggesting that government shouldn’t be involved with the decisions and that it is healthcare.

Carlson responded that he doesn’t believe Hutchinson has actually “studied” the subject if this is a position that he wants to take.

Insisting that he is a person of faith and for limited government, Hutchinson said this was one position where he is differing.

After giving Hutchinson an opportunity to explain further, Carlson asked for specific examples to explain his position, which Hutchinson couldn’t provide, referring him to the medical professionals.

Appearing somewhat flustered after Carlson asked if he had received calls from any corporate interest about the bill, Hutchinson said he has not and then continued about the limited government angle.

Hutchinson asked Carlson if he was going to keep talking or let him answer a question and suggested that if he wanted to broaden the party, it is important not to be “involved with every issue.”

Carlson concluded the interview by thanking the governor and quipped, “Alright, that’s the conservative position.”