Bid To Bar Trump From Arizona 2024 Ballot Rejected By Federal Judge

In a recent development, an Arizona federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit intending to disqualify former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s ballot in the upcoming year.

What Happened: A lawsuit, put forth by minor presidential candidate John Anthony Castro, argued that Trump should be disqualified from the 2024 ballot on constitutional grounds. This claim was however rejected by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes, as reported by NBC News.

Castro’s lawsuit, filed in September, suggested that Trump’s involvement in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, violated Section 3 of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, thereby barring him from holding office. Judge Rayes refuted this claim, asserting that Castro did not have the standing to challenge Trump’s candidacy, and would not suffer a “competitive injury” if Trump were to be included on Arizona’s ballot in 2024.

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The judge further stated that for an injury claim to hold, the plaintiff must genuinely compete with the allegedly ineligible candidate. Castro’s lack of campaign presence and contributions did not support this condition, making his claim untenable.

Responding to the decision, Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, labeled Castro’s 14th Amendment challenge as a “bad faith” publicity stunt by a “thirsty, Biden-allied troll.”

Efforts of a similar nature have been pursued in other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, and Michigan, most of which have been dismissed by judges, with a few still under appeal.

Why It Matters: This ruling aligns with a similar decision made by a Colorado court in November 2023, which ordered Trump’s inclusion on the state’s primary ballot. The lawsuit in Colorado was initiated by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) along with four Republicans and two independent Colorado voters, citing Trump’s involvement in the Capitol riot contravened the 14th Amendment.

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