Despite moves in other states, Trump will appear on California ballot

Donald Trump will appear on the California presidential ballot, Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced Thursday, defying calls from some Democrats to disqualify him as an insurrectionist.

Weber on Thursday released the certified list of candidates who will appear on the March 5 ballot, and Trump was among the 23 names listed in the presidential race. Weber did not make any public comment regarding the decision to keep him on the ballot.

Earlier Thursday, Maine’s secretary of state announced that the former president would not appear on the ballot in that state, saying the 14th Amendment bars people from public office if they took part in an insurrection against the United States. Trump has been accused of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol following his defeat by current President Joe Biden. Trump has denied the allegation.

The Colorado Supreme Court previously ruled in a split decision that Trump should be removed from the ballot in that state on the same grounds. There are movements pending in several other states to keep him off the ballot.

The issue will likely be ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Several California Democrats, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, had urged Weber to keep Trump off the state’s presidential primary ballot. But the movement failed to garner sweeping support, with even Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom saying this week he did not back such a move.

“There is no doubt that Trump is a threat to our liberties and even to our democracy,” Newsom said. “But in California, we defeat candidates at the polls. Everything else is a political distraction.”

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