Donald Trump’s potential competitors for the 2024 Republican nomination have largely rallied around the former president, amplifying the widespread GOP disapproval of the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision that Trump cannot be included in the state’s primary ballot next year. However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, while criticizing the Colorado ruling, also used it to question Trump’s potential to win in 2024.
DeSantis Questions Trump’s Electability Amid Legal Troubles
DeSantis, who was on the campaign trail in Urbandale, Iowa, portrayed the Colorado ruling as a Democratic strategy to bolster Trump’s primary support. He suggested that Democrats view Trump as the easiest Republican candidate to defeat in the November elections. DeSantis also warned that other state Supreme Courts could follow Colorado’s lead in barring Trump from the 2024 ballots.
DeSantis’ stance on electability echoes the sentiments of many of Trump’s primary rivals, who have raised similar concerns following Trump’s indictments in a New York hush money case, a Georgia election interference investigation, and federal probes into the events surrounding the January 6, 2021, insurrection and his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Colorado Supreme Court’s Ruling: A New Level of Accountability for Trump?
The Colorado Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday that Trump is constitutionally ineligible to appear on the ballot in next year’s state primary represents a new level of accountability for Trump over his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. However, it could also energize his supporters and rally the party’s base around him, potentially boosting his White House comeback bid.
Other GOP Contenders Respond to Colorado Ruling
Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and US ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, expressed her desire to defeat Trump “fair and square,” without interventions like the Colorado ruling. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a vocal Trump critic, argued that the decision to prevent Trump from running for president should be left to the voters, not the courts.
Former US Attorney General Bill Barr, who turned against Trump following the January 6 insurrection and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, also criticized the Colorado ruling. Barr warned that such attempts to bar Trump from the 2024 ballot are “counterproductive” and typically “backfire.”
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy Supports Trump
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who has aligned himself more closely with Trump than most other 2024 Republican contenders, labeled the Colorado ruling an “actual attack on democracy” and “election interference.” Ramaswamy pledged to withdraw from the Colorado GOP primary unless Trump is allowed to be on the ballot.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Backs Colorado Ruling
The only GOP candidate to support the Colorado ruling was former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, whose campaign is built on his opposition to Trump. However, Hutchinson is polling in the low single digits and has not qualified for the past three GOP primary debates.
This story and headline have been updated. CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Ebony Davis, Veronica Stracqualursi, Alison Main, Aaron Pellish and David Wright contributed to this report.