In a recent interview on MSNBC, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat, expressed his belief that the fate of former President Donald Trump's presence on the 2024 ballot lies in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Simon's comments came in the wake of Trump's disqualification from the Colorado ballot, a decision that could potentially influence his candidacy nationwide.
"We're never going to have a situation in this country where one or some cluster of states decides that Donald Trump is not on the ballot and everyone else decides he is," Simon stated. He further emphasized, "He will either be on the ballot everywhere or nowhere, and the U.S. Supreme Court is going to make sure of that."
Simon's remarks underscore the potential national implications of the Colorado Supreme Court's recent ruling. Last week, the court disqualified Trump from appearing on the state's 2024 GOP presidential primary ballot, citing his alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021, insurrection. The decision was based on Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which disqualifies any individual from holding office if they have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States.
The lawsuit leading to this ruling was filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW), a Washington D.C.-based watchdog group. CREW argued that Trump's alleged involvement in the insurrection rendered him ineligible for the 2024 election. The group invoked a seldom-used Civil War-era provision of the 14th Amendment, which states, "No person shall hold any office, civil or military, under the United States who, having previously taken an oath as an officer of the United States, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."
However, it is important to note that Trump has not been formally charged or convicted of engaging in insurrection against the United States. The Colorado Republican Party has expressed its opposition to the ruling, threatening to "withdraw from the Primary as a Party and convert to a pure caucus system if this is allowed to stand."
Simon referred to the Colorado ruling as the "canary in the coal mine," suggesting that potential litigants across the country are closely monitoring the Supreme Court's decision. He also acknowledged the administrative challenges posed by the situation, describing it as a "headache, to put it mildly."
According to The Hill, "Over a dozen states have considered or are considering similar challenges to Trumps ballot qualifications. Minnesota dismissed a similar claim on procedural grounds, saying the case should be brought only if Trump is made the GOP nominee."
Trump has indicated his intention to appeal the Colorado ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which currently holds a conservative majority. The court's decision could set a precedent for other states considering similar challenges to Trump's candidacy, thereby determining whether the former president will be on the ballot "everywhere or nowhere," as Simon put it.
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