By Tom Ozimek11/13/2023
Several left-leaning groups have sued to block the former president from the state’s ballot on 14th Amendment grounds.
Former President Donald Trump has officially—at least for now—made it onto the 2024 presidential primary candidate list in Michigan, even though a legal battle that seeks to block him from being listed remains pending.
The list, released on Nov. 13 by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, marks a significant step (though not the final word) in President Trump’s efforts to stay on the ballot after activists sued Ms. Benson to force her to drop him.
While several left-leaning groups have sued to block President Trump from the ballot in Michigan on 14th Amendment grounds, the former president’s legal team has demanded that Ms. Benson keep him on.
In releasing the list featuring President Trump as one of the presidential primary candidates, Ms. Benson said she would follow Michigan law (which requires President Trump be put on the ballot) and the direction of the court (which could still rule to kick him off).
“Today, as required by statute, we are publicly posting the names of the candidates who qualify under Michigan law to be listed on the ballot as a candidate for president in their respective party’s primary,” Ms. Benson said.
“Barring a court order, these candidates will be included on Michigan’s presidential primary ballot in 2024 unless they withdraw their names from consideration.”
Under Michigan state law, the Secretary of State had until 4 p.m. to release initial lists of candidates for president who are generally advocated by the national news media to be listed on the ballot for
the state’s primary unless a court rules otherwise.
President Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination.
Ms. Benson’s release of the list comes just days after a judge in Grand Rapids, Michigan, heard arguments in multiple lawsuits seeking to block the former president from the ballot.
Even though she said that there were “compelling” arguments put forward by supporters of the legal theory that President Trump could be disqualified from holding office under the 14th Amendment, she said that “significant counterarguments, along with practical considerations, make this theory far from a slam dunk.”
While the case in Michigan remains pending, the judge suggested that some type of appeal is likely.
“I fully recognize I am not the last work on whatever happens in this case,” Judge Redford said during the Nov. 9 hearing.
The Michigan case—and others that are based on the 14th Amendment—basically argue that the former president took part in an “insurrection” by giving an impassioned speech on Jan. 6 before the Capitol riot broke out.
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