Donald Trump kicked off from US state of Maine in primary ballot election 2024

The ex-President of the United States Donald Trump has been disqualified from the 2024 presidential primary election in Maine due to his endorsement of an insurrection. The Democratic Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced on Thursday referring to a provision in the US Constitution that prohibits persons who have participated in insurrection or rebellion from holding public office.

Bellows emphasized that due to the storming of the US Capitol, Trump's eligibility to run should be questioned as it occurred with his knowledge and support. He acknowledged that this was not a decision made easily, as democracy is of most importance and the right to have a voice in elections is highly valued.

Bellows noted that it is unprecedented for a Secretary of State to deny a presidential candidate ballot access under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, but it is also unprecedented for a presidential candidate to be involved in an insurrection. 

After the announcement, the Trump campaign said that it would contest the decision in court. The campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, claimed that the election was being stolen and American voters were being defenseless. He also criticized the decision by referring to Bellows as a "virulent leftist" and a "hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat."

The campaign argued that blue states were unconstitutionally violating the civil rights of voters by removing Trump's name from the ballot. With this issue, Maine becomes the second state to disqualify Trump; the Colorado Supreme Court made a similar ruling earlier this month due to his involvement in the January 6 uprising.

Trump has vowed to challenge the Colorado ruling in the US Supreme Court, where he has appointed three out of the six justices, potentially leading to a significant ruling on his eligibility nationwide.