Judge Rules in Favor of Donald Trump, Allowing Him to Appear on Colorado Primary Ballot in 2024

A Denver District Court judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump can appear on the Colorado primary ballot in 2024. The ruling comes after a group of Colorado voters filed a legal challenge to Trump’s candidacy in September, arguing that his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his conduct surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, making him ineligible to appear on the ballot.

Colorado District Court Judge Sarah B. Wallace issued the ruling on Friday, ordering the Colorado secretary of state to place Trump on the state’s primary ballot for next year. The ruling is another victory for Trump after courts in Minnesota and Michigan this month rejected similar legal efforts to disqualify him from running for president in those states.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold released a statement shortly after the ruling, saying, “The Court determined that Donald Trump is eligible to be placed on the Colorado ballot in the March Presidential Primary.”

The ruling comes after closing arguments were heard in the trial, which began on Wednesday. The trial was the first of its kind in the nation, with the outcome having the potential to set a precedent for other states.

The ruling is a major victory for Trump, who is widely expected to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024. It is also a major setback for those who oppose Trump, who had hoped that the court would find him ineligible to appear on the ballot.