Newsom recently thwarted a move by Democrats in his state who sought to emulate their counterparts and exclude Trump from California’s 2024 ballot. According to Newsom, this entire endeavor is nothing but a political spectacle, and in his state, they settle political scores at the polls.
“There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a threat to our liberties and even to our democracy,” Newsom said in a statement Friday afternoon, “but in California, we defeat candidates at the polls. Everything else is a political distraction.”
On Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump is disqualified from running for president because his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, violated the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment. Other states have pursued the option of removing the former president from their Republican primary ballots.
The statement from Newsom goes against the plans of several California politicians who have been hoping to remove the former president from the Republican ballot in the Golden State.
In September, nine California lawmakers wrote to state Attorney General Rob Bonta, urging him to block Trump as ineligible for office under the 14th Amendment.
It’s challenging to determine if Newsom’s decision is inherently politically motivated.
Given that his name has cropped up several times as a potential Democratic candidate, one might wonder if this move is a strategic play to garner support or maintain a positive image.
