With less than a month to go before voting begins, Donald Trumpās Republican rivals are once again rallying to his defense, this time after Coloradoās Supreme Court ruled to remove him from the stateās presidential primary ballot under the U.S. Constitutionās insurrection clause.
Just as they had following Trumpās successive indictments as he racked up 91 criminal charges, the GOP front-runnerās opponents cast the landmark decision ā the first time in history the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate and one the former president has vowed to appeal ā as inappropriate, a āstuntā and an āattack on democracy.ā
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis charged the courtās ruling was a plot to ensure Trump wins the nomination because Democrats view him as the weakest Republican candidate.
I wonder how he squares the fact that the petitioners were Republicans and independents - you know, people who are qualified to vote in the Republican primary.
He doesnāt have to. Republicans have never allowed the truth to get in the way of a good victimhood narrative before. Why start now?
The only requirement to vote in the Republican Primary is āI think Iād like to vote in the Republican Primary this year.ā
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/FAQs/primaryElectionsFAQ.html
If you are registered with a specific party, you may not vote in another partyās primary in the state of Colorado, even if you āthink youād like to.ā
Now go look at hard it is to change your registered party in Colorado. It takes about 5 minutes. And I think the only thing it really affects for most people is which primary they vote in. So while thereās one more step than āthink youād like toā itās not by much.
Ok. Letās assume I am, in fact, currently registered as a Democrat. Am I never allowed to change that affiliation?
Oh, I can change that affiliation?
What are the requirements to change my party affiliation again? Is āI think Iād like to vote in the Republican Primaryā a sufficient reason?
Thatās fair. But itās also true that the actual Republican petitioners in the case (five of the seven) are very long time Republicans who have been notable in party politics in the state.