On Monday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided that states cannot kick former President Donald Trump off their ballots.
The ruling reversed a decision from the Colorado Supreme Court that claimed Trump was not eligible to be president under section 3 of the Constitution's 14th Amendment.
The never-before-used Civil War-era provision to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution bars anyone who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office.
The Colorado court had claimed that Trump was "involved in aiding an insurrection on January 6, 2021." Trump has not been charged or convicted of engaging in insurrection against the United States.
The Supreme Court determined that states cannot determine independently if a candidate is eligible to hold federal office.
"Because the Constitution makes Congress, rather than the states, responsible for enforcing section 3 against all federal officeholders and candidates, we reverse," the ruling said.
NBC News reports, "The ruling makes it clear that Congress, not states, has to set rules on how the 14th Amendment provision can be enforced against federal office-seekers. As such the decision applies to all states, not just Colorado. States retain the power to bar people running for state office from appearing on the ballot under section 3."
This ruling will also apply to ballot challenges in Maine and Illinois.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement “that states do not have the authority to enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment for federal candidates. In accordance with this decision, Donald Trump is an eligible candidate on Colorado’s 2024 Presidential Primary.”
Trump responded to the news in a post on Truth Social, writing, "BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!"
The campaign also sent out a fundraising text message to supporters with a link saying, "The unhinged Democrat plan to ERASE MY NAME crashed and burned, but our fight to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN is far from over."
"Democrats are STILL pushing endless Witch Hunts against me," the post continued. "They still want to fine me, arrest me, and STOP ME FROM RUNNING!"
"ELECTION INTERFERENCE," the fundraising page said in a large bright red letters.
The page then asked supporters to donate to "SAVE AMERICA!"
