Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy announced his decision to remove himself from Colorado’s Republican primary ballot on Tuesday. This move comes in response to the recent ruling by the state’s Supreme Court, which declared former President Donald Trump ineligible to run in the state’s GOP presidential primary due to his involvement in the events surrounding January 6.
Ramaswamy, seeking to align himself with Trump, vowed not to participate in the primary until Trump’s eligibility is reinstated. In a strongly worded statement, he urged other 2024 GOP primary contenders, including Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley, to take similar action, warning of potential “disastrous consequences for our country” if they do not.
“I pledge to withdraw from the Colorado GOP primary ballot until Trump is also allowed to be on the ballot, and I demand that Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley do the same immediately – or else they are tacitly endorsing this illegal maneuver which will have disastrous consequences for our country,” Ramaswamy asserted.
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The Colorado Supreme Court’s decision, rendered on Tuesday evening, cited Trump’s violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits former officeholders from running again if they have engaged in insurrection against the U.S. The court specifically pointed to Trump’s involvement in the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol as evidence of insurrection. In response, a spokesperson for Trump confirmed their intention to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Expressing his concern for the future of the country, Ramaswamy spoke to ABC News, calling the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision “appalling” and a “flagrant violation of the rule of law.” Despite acknowledging the potential advantage of running without Trump in the race, Ramaswamy emphasized that the issue extends beyond individual candidates.
“And to tell you the truth, it would be a lot easier for me to get elected if Trump wasn’t in this race, but that’s not – it’s not about me, and it’s not about another candidate,” Ramaswamy explained, underscoring his commitment to upholding the rule of law.
In Mason City, Iowa, during his seventh and final event of the day, Ramaswamy reiterated his opposition to the court’s decision, addressing a packed bar of voters. When asked about the impact of withdrawing from the Colorado primary, considering there are 37 Republican delegates at stake, he predicted that every remaining Republican candidate would follow suit.
“I think every Republican will end up withdrawing, which means that that won’t affect anyone’s path to the nomination,” Ramaswamy stated confidently.
Following Ramaswamy’s announcement, the Colorado Republican Party responded on X, noting that the candidate might not need to withdraw if the state shifted from a primary to a party-run caucus, pending the court’s decision.
However, such a move could prompt a rule change from the Republican National Committee, according to the Colorado Republican Party’s Chairman, Dave Williams, who expressed confidence in obtaining a waiver if necessary. The situation remains fluid as the legal and political implications unfold.
Information for this briefing was found via ABC and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
