Former President Donald Trump has secured a significant win in his bid to be included on the California ballot for the 2024 presidential election, as reported by Newsweek on Friday, December 29, 2023.
Shirley Weber, the secretary of state for California, certified the roster of candidates for the 2024 Republican primary on Thursday, rejecting calls from certain Democrats to disqualify Trump over his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Despite pressure from Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who, in a letter dated December 20, urged exploration of legal avenues to remove Trump from the California ballot, Weber’s decision stood firm.
Kounalakis referenced a recent decision by Maine’s secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, who excluded Trump from the state’s ballot, citing violations of the oath of office and incitement of violence against the U.S. government.
Bellows stated, “The record establishes that Mr. Trump, over several months culminating on January 6, 2021, used a false narrative of election fraud to incite his supporters, directing them to the Capitol to impede the 2020 election’s certification and the peaceful transition of power.”
She continued, “I similarly conclude that Mr. Trump was aware of the potential for violence and initially supported its use by encouraging it through inflammatory rhetoric and taking no immediate action to halt it.”
However, Weber explained that she lacked the legal authority to remove Trump from the ballot since he met California’s eligibility criteria.
“California law does not empower the secretary of state to disqualify a candidate based on conduct or actions, unless the candidate has been convicted of a felony or deemed mentally incompetent by a court,” Weber stated.
She emphasized that voters would ultimately decide their party’s representative in the general election.
Trump, a vocal proponent of claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent and stolen from him, praised Weber’s decision as a “significant victory” for his campaign and supporters.
In a tweet, he expressed gratitude to Secretary of State Shirley Weber “for upholding the rule of law and the people’s right to choose their president.”
Trump is set to compete against various Republican contenders in the California primary, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Recent polls indicate Trump leading the Republican field nationwide, with DeSantis as his nearest competitor.
The California primary, scheduled for March 5, 2024, is part of the Super Tuesday contests crucial in determining the majority of delegates for the Republican nomination.
