Former President Trump is embroiled in a fierce battle to retain his name on the ballot for the upcoming presidential election in 2022. His legal team is gearing up to appeal recent decisions in Maine and Colorado after successfully defending challenges in California and Wisconsin. With a total of 13 states currently involved in lawsuits seeking to prevent Trump's candidacy, the fight has intensified.
One interesting aspect of this ongoing saga is the unique situation in Maine. While the decision in Colorado came from the state Supreme Court, Maine's secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, made a unilateral move to take action. Responding to criticism regarding her individual judgment, Bellows emphasized her commitment to upholding the Maine Constitution, the United States Constitution, and Maine election law. However, it is worth noting that she has temporarily suspended her decision pending the expected appeal from Trump's legal team.
Similarly, in Colorado, Trump's name has been reinstated on the primary ballot. Its status will remain unchanged unless the state Supreme Court intervenes and upholds the previous decision to remove him. In California, where efforts to bar Trump were dismissed, Secretary of State Shirley Weber defended her adherence to the rule of law, expressing the need to set a higher standard than that of the former president.
Although Trump did not secure victories in either Colorado or Maine during the 2020 election, he is keen to secure their combined 13 electoral votes in the upcoming race. Interestingly, most of the states currently pursuing legal action against him were won by Trump in the previous election.
The central argument behind these efforts to bar Trump from running again lies in a Civil War era clause of the Constitution. Critics contend that involvement in an insurrection disqualifies an individual from holding public office. However, the legal battles unfolding across these states will ultimately determine whether Trump can make a comeback onto the political stage.
As the appeals process unfolds, Trump's presence on the ballot in these crucial states remains uncertain. The outcomes of these cases may hold significant implications for his political future, shaping the dynamics of the upcoming presidential election. Whether or not Trump will have the opportunity to secure those sought-after 13 electoral votes hangs in the balance, awaiting the decisions of the judicial system.
