Maine has become the second U.S. state to bar Donald Trump from the 2024 primary ballot. The state’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, asserted that Trump, the leading contender for the 2024 Republican nomination, incited an insurrection by spreading false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election and encouraging supporters to march on the Capitol to disrupt the certification of the vote. Bellows delayed her decision pending a ruling from the state supreme court.
The determination followed a recommendation from a group of former Maine lawmakers, citing a provision in the U.S. Constitution that prohibits individuals from holding office if they participated in “insurrection or rebellion” after previously taking an oath to the United States. While the ruling, which is subject to appeal in a state court, specifically impacts the March primary election, it could potentially influence Trump’s eligibility for the November general election.
Though Trump faces federal charges and charges in Georgia related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election, he has not been charged with insurrection in connection with the January 6 attack. Despite legal challenges, he maintains a substantial lead in opinion polls for the 2024 Republican nomination.
Previously, on December 19, Colorado’s highest court disqualified Trump from the state’s primary ballot, marking the first instance in U.S. history where a candidate was deemed ineligible for the presidency due to involvement in insurrection. Trump has vowed to appeal the Colorado decision to the Supreme Court, criticizing ballot challenges as “undemocratic.” The Colorado Republican Party has also filed a separate appeal to the Supreme Court.
