ST. PAUL, Minn. — The U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision against disqualifying a presidential candidate put the issue to rest in Minnesota. A Minnesota anti-Trump had hoped the Court would support a Colorado ban on Trump for his January 2020 insurrection attempt. That, the Minnesotans had hoped, would reopen its case to keep Trump off the Minnesota ballot. It didn’t work out that way. The High Court said that states cannot exclude candidates for federal office from ballots. Minnesota’s elections chief, Secretary of State Steve Simon, agreed:
“The unanimous ruling by the United States Supreme Court provides voters the clarity and finality they deserve. We now know that former President Trump will remain on the Republican Primary ballot across the country — including in Minnesota. Voters are in charge of what happens next.”
Eight Minnesota election reformers, led by former Secretary of State Joan Growe, sued last year to keep Trump off the state’s Super Tuesday presidential primary ballot. They claimed that the U.S. Constitution bars insurrectionists from public office. The Minnesota Supreme Court turned the Growe group down, saying that voters deserve to be able to consider nominees of political parties, whether traitors or not. The new U.S. Supreme Court opinion indirectly supported the Minnesota Court’s position unanimously, although it was nuanced by four different rationales.
Earlier: Allow Trump to run? Supreme Court to decide
Earlier: Colorado court to Trump: Not here you don’t
Earlier: Trumpers prevail on Minnesota ballot issue — for now
Earlier: Trump on Minnesota ballot? Court hears case