LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) 鈥 Asa Hutchinson said Saturday that the campaign manager for his beleaguered bid for the Republican presidential nomination is departing, but the former Arkansas governor said he is not dropping out of the crowded race.
Hutchinson confirmed that Rob Burgess will leave on Oct. 31, and the candidate said he planned other changes to his campaign. Hutchinson, who , has struggled to make in-roads as an anti-Donald Trump candidate. He failed to qualify for the party's second debate and seems unlikely to make the third, on Nov. 8, when participants must meet the yet.
"Clearly I am working hard to win votes and to increase my voting percentages, particularly in the early states," Hutchinson told The Associated Press. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not unusual for a campaign to have a midcourse adjustment and that鈥檚 what you'll be seeing here with Rob's departure and with readjustments that we'll make in the campaign staff.鈥
Burgess' departure was first reported by CNN. Burgess did not confirm the report but said in a text message to the AP to direct all inquiries to Hutchinson. Hutchinson said he will announce a new campaign manager later.
Hutchinson has been one of the few Republican candidates willing to directly take on Trump and he had called on the former president to drop out of the race after Trump was in New York. Before Hutchinson entered the race, he said Trump's latest White House run was the for the GOP.
Burgess' departure comes after other candidates have suspended their campaigns, including and , as well as businessman . Conservative talk radio host said Thursday he was ending his campaign.
Hutchinson acknowledged he faces an uphill battle for the nomination, but said he remained optimistic about his chances.
鈥淭he direction of our primary is going to have to change through the voters reevaluating who's going to be the leader of our party and the nominee,鈥 Hutchinson said. 鈥淩ight now, Trump is in the No. 1 position there. I've always been of the view that's going to change, and I still have that view.鈥
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Associated Press writer Michelle Price in Las Vegas contributed to this report
