Illinois becomes the third US state to put the candidacy of Donald J. Trump in jeopardy, after a court ruling on February 28th, 2024.
Trump is seeking to become America’s 47th president, having failed to win a second term in 2020 when he lost to former Vice-President, Joe Biden.
According to Judge Tracie Porter, the Illinois’ election board erred when it included the name of former President Trump on the ballot. The court cites the fact that the US Congress has already found Donald Trump guilty of playing a pivotal role in the January 2021 insurrection that took place at the US Capitol.
There are several other states where the candidacy of Donald Trump is still unresolved, and they include some populous ones such as California, Texas, Florida and New York.
Trump’s Candidacy Challenged Under the 14th Amendment
According to the constitution’s 14th amendment, which was enacted following the US Civil War, any officer of the government involved in an insurrection can no longer be allowed to hold office.
While the 4-year-long Civil War (1861 to 1865) that involved several states claimed the lives of more than 750,000 soldiers, the January 2021 insurrection chaos took place just within the Capitol precincts and claimed the lives of five people. Among the dead was a police officer and a US veteran.
Apparently, voters who want the 45th president locked out of the 2024 elections under the 14th amendment are concerned how many more lives might have been lost, had the insurrection spread beyond Capitol Hill as Trump and the fanatical [i]MAGA supporters appeared to encourage.
Trump Still Hopeful
The courts in the states of Maine and Colorado have already ruled against Trump’s name appearing on the ballot, but the Republican Party has lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court. According to recent reports, the party is set to appeal against the Illinois ruling as well.
Both the Democrats and Republicans await the Supreme Court’s ruling with bated breath, hoping to know the soonest possible the stance of the country’s highest court regarding the candidacy of Donald Trump as the presidential nominee for the [ii]GOP.
Should Donald Trump end up becoming the Republican Party’s presidential candidate in this year’s election, it will be interesting to see how the age factor plays out for him. Likewise, it will be interesting to see how it plays out for Joe Biden. Biden, the incumbent president, is 82 years old, and is seeking re-election under the Democratic Party. Trump is 78 .
[i] MAGA: Make America Great Again
[ii] GOP: Grand Old Party