During a campaign stop in Harlan, Iowa, on Tuesday, Hutchinson capped off another brief Iowa tour at the Nishnabotna Valley REC energy co-op, where he shared his vision for energy policy and other key issues.
The Republican candidate was critical of the Biden-backed Inflation Reduction Act for emphasizing and incentivizing renewable energy, calling the $1.2 trillion package "too much."
The Inflation Reduction Act, which went into effect on Jan. 1, offers incentives to reduce energy costs for businesses, state and local governments, nonprofits and educational institutions.
"The reason I'm running for president is I believe the policies of this administration -- are not taking our country in the right direction," Hutchinson said. "I know we need to have a pro-growth energy policy. We want to produce energy in this country from a multitude of sources -- so that we aren't dependent on Saudi Arabia and Venezuela."
As governor of Arkansas, Hutchinson rejected an estimated $146 million in relief funding from the federal government. On Tuesday, he cited the act as a contributor to "excessive federal spending" that he pledged to cut back on.
Hutchinson also said the president's plan to eliminate fossil fuels as an energy source by 2035 and converting to all electric vehicles is "too tight of a timeframe." He said he is doubtful that many people, specifically farmers, will be able to afford electric vehicles such as electric trucks.
"In 2035, we still need combustion engines. We've got to get costs down, we've got to improve the technology and that looks like too tight of a timeframe for me," he said.
Bill McKim, CEO of Nishnabotna Valley REC, said the biggest goals for energy co-ops like his are delivering reliable and affordable electricity. He is supportive of efforts to transition to clean energy, but the transition is also the biggest challenge facing the industry.
"We, as an electrical co-op, really advocate for an all-of-the-above energy strategy, so we don't think any one resource solves all the problems," McKim said.
While Hutchinson was largely critical of the current administration, he told UPI he supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and strengthening background checks for the purchase of firearms.
"When I talk to Iowans, they just see a Washington that is broken. They prefer to fight more than getting things done," Hutchinson said. "As a governor I know how to get things done."
The former governor elaborated that he aims to strengthen Medicaid and the military, bring back more domestic manufacturing and energy production, and control federal spending.
"That's the results we expect out of Washington," Hutchinson said. "Those are the solutions people are looking for. I hope we can do that in a bipartisan way and build support for it."
When Hutchinson began fielding questions from the couple dozen people in attendance -- most of whom were employees of Nishnabotna Valley REC -- most questions remained focused on energy. There were also questions about supporting Ukraine against the invasion by Russia, and Taiwan's independence from China.
Hutchinson acknowledged that none of the questions asked were related to social issues or women's health rights. Though he expounded his stance on these topics later. He touted his record as a conservative Republican governor, supporting restrictive abortion rights and barring trans women and girls from women's sports.
"No questions about social issues? That's sort of interesting," Hutchinson said. "The challenge with this administration is they have pushed a leftist social agenda through to our schools and to our businesses. I want freedom. I want people to make their lifestyle choices. There's always changes in our culture and there's friction, but we don't need Washington driving that social engineering agenda that we don't agree with."
Jarek Richardson, a lineman for Nishnabotna Valley REC and a farmer, did not know much about Hutchinson's background before Tuesday's speech. When it was over, he was impressed with the candidate's proposed direction.
Nishnabotna Valley REC hosted former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, during his presidential campaign in 2020.
"We just love the opportunity to reach out and share our thoughts and share our concerns and have that interaction," McKim said. "The neat thing about Iowa is we get to see all the candidates and we have a chance to interact one on one with them. Just being able to see somebody face to face, look them in the eyes, it's a little more impactful to me than their TV ad or something like that."
Hutchinson shook hands and spoke with most of the attendees individually before and after his speech.
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