Because of his behavior before the incident on January 6, a judge has decided that Donald Trump is unable to run for president in Colorado. What effect does this have on the general election, then? According to the verdict, Mr. Trump was not qualified to run in the state's Republican primary because of a provision in the US Constitution that bars citizens from participating in rebellion. In an attempt to reverse the ruling, Mr. Trump has said he would file an appeal with the US Supreme Court, potentially reshaping the 2024 election. In November's election, the former president is predicted to be the Republican nominee and take on Democratic President Joe Biden.
Why did this decision come from the Colorado Supreme Court? It claimed to have discovered "clear and convincing evidence that President Trump engaged in the insurrection". "A majority of the court holds that Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment," it stated. People who participate in "insurrection or rebellion" against the Constitution are excluded from federal office under Section 3. It was an attempt to prevent supporters of southern states seceding from the Union from reentering government employment and dates back to the post-Civil War period.
This is the first time a presidential contender has been disqualified under Section 3. The 4-3 decision indicates that three justices on the court do not think there is a valid reason for Mr. Trump to be disqualified from the election. According to the extensive 213-page verdict, Mr. Trump's acts leading up to January 6 did indeed amount to rebellion. In Colorado, his attorneys said that since he was not the cause of the disturbance, he shouldn't be disqualified. In 2024, will Donald Trump be able to win? Indeed.
Since this verdict only pertains to Colorado, Mr. Trump is still eligible to compete in other Republican primaries, where each party will continue to look for a nominee for president on a state-by-state basis. As he has a significant lead over his Republican opponents, he can still secure his party's candidacy without having to run in Colorado. In 2020, Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump handily in Colorado, and it seems improbable that Mr. Trump will require victory in the state to win the election.
However, the general election may be affected more broadly. Similar cases attempting to prevent Mr. Trump from running are pending in dozens of other US states, and this ruling may increase the likelihood that some of them will be successful. In a presidential contest that is anticipated to be closely contested, it might be crucial if he were prevented from running in a state where he and Mr. Biden are tied for first place.
