Donald Trump's potential opponents for the 2024 Republican nomination united in their support for the former president, further amplifying the widespread GOP disapproval of the Colorado Supreme Court decision that barred him from the state's primary ballot. In addition, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who strongly criticized the court ruling, also raised concerns about Trump's electability next year, suggesting that nominating the former president would shift the focus of the 2024 election to legal issues.
The reactions from Trump's opponents demonstrate the difficult position they are in just weeks before the first votes are cast in the GOP nominating contest. Despite his legal issues, Trump's sustained popularity with the party's base requires them to support him while also arguing that it is time for the party to progress.
In Urbandale, Iowa, DeSantis characterized the Colorado decision as a strategy by the Democrats to secure Trump's backing in the primary because, according to the Florida governor, the party believes he is the most vulnerable Republican to defeat in November.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his family greet guests after speaking at an event in Bettendorf, Iowa, on December 18, 2023.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
According to DeSantis, other state Supreme Courts may also try to prevent Trump from appearing on the 2024 ballots. DeSantis believes that nominating a different candidate would provide the best opportunity to secure a victory.
"The entire general elections will be dominated by all this legal stuff," he remarked. "It's unjust, but the real issue is, will it be effective? I believe they have a playbook that unfortunately will be successful. It will allow Biden or the Democrat or whoever to navigate through this situation. That's their strategy. That's what they desire."
Former President Donald Trump greets supporters as he arrives at a commit to caucus rally, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, in Waterloo, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Charlie Neibergall/AP
Lessons learned from Colorado's landmark decision that bars Trump from holding office under the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause.
DeSantis' argument on Trump's electability echoes that of many of his primary opponents following his indictments in New York, involvement in a Georgia election probe, federal investigations related to the January 6 insurrection, and alleged mishandling of classified documents.
"Are we going to spend 2024 focused on trials, cases, and legal battles that require millions of dollars? Or do we want to focus on your concerns, the future of the country, and on a nominee who can take on the left, as I have done in Florida? That's the path to victory." DeSantis stated on Wednesday.
The Colorado Supreme Court's ruling on Tuesday barred Trump from appearing on the ballot in next year's state primary due to the 14th Amendment, which prohibits insurrectionists from holding public office. Although the US Supreme Court will ultimately decide, the Colorado ruling signifies a heightened level of accountability for Trump's actions to overturn the 2020 election.
However, just like the previous four criminal indictments, this could also bolster his chances of a comeback to the White House. These indictments have ignited enthusiasm among his supporters and caused the party's base to unite behind Trump.
The decision in Colorado comes just under four weeks before the first contest on the GOP nominating calendar: the Iowa caucuses on January 15. If supporters continue to rally around the former president, who currently holds a significant lead in national and early state primary polls, his Republican opponents will have little opportunity to alter the course of the race.
President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that he would defer to the courts to determine Trump's eligibility to seek the presidency again. "But he definitely backed an insurrection. There's no doubt about it. None. Zero," Biden told reporters upon arriving in Milwaukee from Air Force One. "It seems like he's standing by everything he's done."
Nikki Haley, the ex-governor of South Carolina and former US ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, has expressed her desire to defeat her former boss in a fair and square manner, without any interventions such as the Colorado ruling.
Haley arrives for her town hall in Agency, Iowa, on December 19, 2023.
Christian Monterrosa/AFP/Getty Images
Addressing a crowd in Agency, Iowa on Tuesday night, she expressed that the involvement of judges in determining who can and cannot be on the ballot is undesirable. "I want the voters to have a say in this. We will achieve victory through proper and fair means," she stated.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the most vocal critics of Trump in the 2024 GOP race, and who has supported the indictment of the former president by federal prosecutors, stated on Tuesday that "people in this country deserve to have a trial before rights are taken away from them."
Migrants seeking asylum in the United States stand on the banks of the Rio Bravo river at the southern US border, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on December 18, 2023.
Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters
Trump and Abbott are bringing back the GOP's emphasis on border security in the 2024 election. Despite his past criticism of the former president, Christie stated in Bedford, New Hampshire, that it would be detrimental for the country if the courts were to prevent Trump from appearing on the ballot, acknowledging that his remarks might seem contradictory.
Christie expressed his belief that Donald Trump should not be barred from becoming president by a court, but rather by the voters. He stated that taking away the people's choice would cause anger, and that he would prefer for them to make the decision that Trump does not deserve to be president.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who has positioned himself as a strong supporter of Trump compared to other 2024 Republican candidates, denounced the Colorado ruling as a "direct assault on democracy" and "interference in the election." He vowed to drop out of the Colorado GOP primary unless Trump is permitted to appear on the ballot.
"The latest decision is just another attempt to meddle in the election, silencing political opponents and trying to sway the outcome in favor of the Democrats' chosen candidate," he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The only Republican candidate to support the Colorado ruling was former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who has consistently opposed Trump. Despite his claims, Hutchinson's campaign is struggling, polling in the low single digits and failing to qualify for the past three GOP primary debates.
Hutchinson said the fact that he supported insurrection will continue to plague his candidacy. This report includes contributions from CNN's Kit Maher, Kevin Liptak, Ebony Davis, Veronica Stracqualursi, Alison Main, Aaron Pellish, and David Wright.
