Former President Donald Trump’s bid for reelection may be exciting for some, but the thought sparks dread for many. Elections like the upcoming general election have the possibility to cause significant change in the country we live in. Trump’s eligibility for the primary election in 2024 is a decision that is out of the American people’s hands as it is currently being made by state supreme courts nationwide. It is important for not only the next four years but for the future of our country and democracy as a whole that these decisions are being made responsibly and taking all the facts into account.
Currently, only Maine and Colorado have ruled to disqualify Trump from the ballots for the primary election. However, Colorado’s decision is pending an appeal with the Supreme Court, and he is currently expected to appear on the ballot anyway. Disappointingly, California is one of the states so far that has made the decision to allow Trump’s name on the ballot for the primaries. Colorado Supreme Court’s original ruling disqualified Trump from the ballot under section 3 of the 14th amendment, stating that “no person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office” if they have, after taking an oath to serve the United States in any capacity “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”
The events of Jan. 6 were considered an insurrection by the Senate, which quickly moved for impeachment only a week after the attack on the Capitol occurred. Once this impeachment was successful, it made Trump the third president in U.S. history ever to be impeached and the first ever to be impeached twice. He is also currently facing over 90 criminal charges on a state and federal level, including 40 charges in the classified documents case and 34 charges in a falsified business records case in New York. This alone should be grounds to ban him from the ballot. Still, the formal classification of Jan. 6 as an insurrection means that allowing Trump to run would directly violate the 14th Amendment.
The ability to disqualify an individual from a ballot may be concerning if the decision was made on a case-by-case basis and could be made without lawful cause. For example, it could easily be used to discriminate against controversial individuals from running fairly for office. However, that is not the case here. This is not about dislike or preferential treatment of a candidate but a case that presents evidence of wrongdoings that go against the Constitution and were grounds for removal from office mid-term, which is a reasonable argument for banning another running campaign.
Trump is also known to make statements that inherently violate the principles of democracy. For example, when the invasion of Ukraine occurred in Feb. 2022, shocking and horrifying most who heard of it, Trump made a public statement of support for Putin’s actions. He referred to the decisions as ‘genius’ and ‘wonderful.’ He has also claimed, on multiple occasions, that he intends to ‘rule as a dictator on day one’ if he should be elected to office once more. These are statements that, in the past, would likely have ruined his chances of running altogether, just based on public opinion, but seem to be all too easily brushed over or completely ignored when it comes to him. It is time for voters and members of state Supreme Courts to start paying closer attention to these claims, and take a closer look at the facts. Arguing for Trump to be allowed to run for office is irresponsible, to put it lightly, and potentially dangerous to the United States, its citizens and its democracy as a whole.
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