Several elected leaders from Republican-controlled states, namely Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have floated the notion of removing President Joe Biden from their states’ ballots following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that declared former President Donald Trump ineligible to hold office. Although their remarks did not appear to propose concrete action, they highlighted the possibility based on the reasoning employed by the Colorado high court.
Patrick, speaking on Fox News with host Laura Ingraham, referenced the Colorado situation, pondering the idea of removing Biden from the Texas ballot due to what he perceived as Biden’s culpability in allowing millions of people to cross the border during his tenure, causing disruption in the state. He juxtaposed this with Texas’s belief in democracy but hinted at the potential use of similar reasoning.
Similarly, Governor DeSantis, engaged in a presidential primary against Trump, criticized the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision during a campaign event. He questioned the lack of trial in the matter, questioning the basis of disqualifying a candidate from the ballot and alluded to the notion of Biden’s potential removal based on his alleged actions regarding illegal immigration, expressing confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the Colorado court’s ruling.
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump should be barred from the state’s ballot, citing his alleged involvement in inciting the January 6 Capitol breach and violating Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The decision, voted on by a narrow 4-3 majority, has been temporarily stayed until January 4, allowing room for an appeal, which Trump’s campaign has vowed to pursue.
Reacting to the decision, Trump took to social media, condemning the court and the Biden administration, characterizing the ruling as reflective of a banana republic and accusing it of constituting election interference, expressing his discontent with the outcome.
This legal development is the latest in a series of challenges faced by the former president as he navigates legal hurdles in his bid to return to the White House, raising questions and sparking debates about the interpretation of the law and the implications of such decisions on the electoral process.