Gavin Newsom doesn’t want to remove Trump from California ballot

Mr Newsom’s opposition comes up against various efforts in his state to remove Mr Trump from California’s 2024 primary ballot

California Gov Gavin Newsom attends a press conference in Beijing on October 25, 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

California Governor Gavin Newson isn’t backing his own lieutenant’s call to remove Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot after the Colorado Supreme Court determined that he was ineligible for the presidency.

On 19 December, Colorado’s highest court ruled that the former president is disqualified from the presidency and should be removed from 2024 ballots, citing his role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

California Lt Gov Eleni Kounalakis responded to the move by suggesting that her state should do the same ahead of its 5 March primary. But her boss Mr Newsom isn’t on board.

“There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a threat to our liberties and even to our democracy,” Mr Newsom said on 22 December. “But in California, we defeat candidates at the polls. Everything else is a political distraction.”

Ms Kounalakis had expressed her intent to remove Mr Trump from the ballot in a letter to California’s Secretary of State on 20 December.

“Prompted” by the Colorado ruling, Ms Kounalakis wrote, “I urge you to explore every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot.”

She continued, “California is obligated to determine if Trump is ineligible for the California ballot for the same reasons described” in the Colorado Supreme Court decision.

“The constitution is clear: you must be 35 years old and not be an insurrectionist,” she added.

On the same day, Democratic state Sen Dave Min announced he planned to introduce a bill in 2024 that would allow California “residents to sue to remove ineligible candidates from the ballot.”

Long before these efforts or the Colorado ruling, nine members of the California State Legislature wrote a 15 September letter to the state’s attorney general asking for Mr Trump “to proactively seek the opinion of the court to determine if Donald J. Trump is or is not eligible to appear on the ballot.”

The letter continued, “Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is clear that no person who has taken the oath of office and engaged in insurrection against the United States can hold public office.”

In response to the Colorado ruling, Mr Trump took to Truth Social to air out his grievances: “A SAD DAY IN AMERICA!!!” He also wrote, “BANANA REPUBLIC??? ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!”