A Michigan appeals court ruled Thursday that former President Donald Trump's name can appear on the state's Republican primary ballot, following a challenge that sought to remove him over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The court's decision follows similar ones in Minnesota and Colorado that ruled Trump is allowed to remain on the ballot because primaries are a party-run elections. However, the Michigan ruling held open the possibility that Trump's inclusion on a general election ballot could still be challenged.
Judge pauses Trump's 2020 election interference case
It is the latest volley in a dispute over the scope of presidential power. The pause was enacted while Donald Trump appeals his immunity claim.
Critics have argued that Trump should be disqualified from running for president in 2024 under a Civil War-era Constitutional clause that prohibits anyone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from serving as an "officer of the United States." The provision is nestled at the end of the 14th Amendment and has only been used a couple of times throughout history, but has gained renewed attention following the Capitol insurrection.
These challenges come as Trump is dominating Republican primary polls despite his four criminal indictments: Three in federal court and one in Georgia regarding his alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. The U.S. Supreme Court has already rejected a similar case that sought to keep Trump's name off the 2024 ballot.
