Republicans plot revenge after court kicks Trump off Colorado ballot

On Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that Donald Trump is ineligible to hold office because of the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause. The ruling is certain to head to the Supreme Court, but even before it lands in the lap of Chief Justice John Roberts and crew, this legal blast is generating significant fallout.

The immediate reaction of most Republican candidates is exactly what you might expect from people who are running either in hopes of being Trump’s number two or of raising their profiles for 2028. Nikki Haley made a bland statement about judges making these decisions when the issue should be in the hands of the voters. Chris Christie may win the award for silliest mish-mash in saying, “I just think what he’s done is horribly wrong and that he has reserved the right that we would give him as voters to lead us again.” Ron DeSantis said … nothing.

But it was fading candidate Vivek Ramaswamy who jumped straight to a pearl-clutching loyalty stunt by declaring that he would remove himself from Colorado’s ballot unless they put Trump back. Then the Colorado GOP raised Ramaswamy’s bet by threatening to scratch the whole primary.