Trump ballot access case heads to U.S. Supreme Court as Colorado GOP appeals ban

The Colorado Republican Party on Wednesday appealed its state Supreme Court decision to boot former President Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

“The Colorado Supreme Court has removed the leading Republican candidate from the primary and general ballots, fundamentally changing the course of American democracy,” the party’s lawyers wrote, according to The Associated Press.

“Unless the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision is overturned, any voter will have the power to sue to disqualify any political candidate, in Colorado or in any other jurisdiction that follows its lead," they continued. "This will not only distort the 2024 presidential election but will also mire courts henceforth in political controversies over nebulous accusations of insurrection.”

Earlier this month, the Colorado Supreme Court determined that Trump engaged in an insurrection against the U.S. via the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and was therefore ineligible to appear on the 2024 presidential ballot.

Trump has denied the claim that he engaged in an insurrection and he said his campaign team would also appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Other states have attempted to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot, but have been unsuccessful such as in Michigan and in West Virginia.