California approves Trump for primary ballot despite calls to remove him

California’s elections chief late Thursday approved former President Donald Trump’s name to appear on the state’s primary ballot, rejecting calls from some to disqualify him.

Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, a Democrat, released the certified list of candidates for the March 5 election that included Trump, who is leading in the polls in California and nationally.  

“The following list contains the name of each presidential candidate who is entitled to be voted for in the Democratic, Republican, American Independent, Libertarian, Green, and Peace and Freedom parties' Presidential Primary Elections to be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024,” Weber wrote.

The announcement came just hours after Maine became the second state after Colorado to disqualify Trump on a presidential primary oballot in a dispute that is expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Some California officials, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, had urged Weber to jettison Trump from the ballot under the Constitution’s 14th Amendment. Gov. Gavin Newsom opposed the idea, saying voters should decide.

Maine’s Democrat Secretary of State decided earlier Thursday to disqualify Trump from that state’s primary. That announcement followed a 4-3 decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to remove Trump from the state’s primary ballot. 

The issue is expected to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court after the Colorado Republican Party appealed to the nation’s nine justices.