Georgia – Democratic lawmakers in Georgia are working to prevent Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, from appearing on Georgia’s voting ballots. Trump, who is dealing with several legal challenges, including a significant one in Colorado, has his legal team striving to ensure he is listed in the primary elections. This comes after Colorado initially removed him from the ballot.
Trump is still voters’ favorite
At present, Trump leads the Republican race, especially since Governor Ron DeSantis stopped his campaign and supported Trump. Nikki Haley is now the only major rival Trump faces. Many recent surveys suggest that Trump has a strong backing from voters, and he seems to be ahead of President Biden in popularity in Georgia. However, in Georgia, Trump might face some hurdles from politicians despite the support from voters.
A group of over ten Democratic lawmakers in Georgia, led by Representative Roger Bruce, have introduced a resolution. This resolution questions Trump’s eligibility to run for election, citing the 14th Amendment’s clause related to insurrection.
“Our Constitution calls for people to be loyal to the country,” Bruce said. “If you’re not, then you should not be in positions of leadership. And his actions on Jan. 6 were clearly not in the best interest of the country. His actions by calling our Secretary of State and asking him to find votes, basically asking him to break the law.”
The resolution recommends Trump to be removed from any presidential election or nomination ballots
The proposed resolution strongly recommends that Georgia’s Secretary of State exclude Donald Trump from any presidential election or nomination ballots. This is based on the belief that he is ineligible under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
While Representative Roger Bruce’s resolution doesn’t automatically become law even if approved, another state legislator is preparing a separate bill on similar grounds.
Representative Derrick Jackson is determined to legally establish Trump’s disqualification from office. He cites the events of January 6, 2021, as a key factor. Jackson, with 22 years of experience as a U.S. Navy officer and currently serving his fourth term as a state representative, sees this bill as a way to honor his commitment to protect the U.S. Constitution from all threats, both foreign and domestic.
Due to budget hearings, the Georgia General Assembly is not in session this week, so neither bill has been given a formal number yet.
In a related development, Georgia has recently joined more than a dozen other states in a legal effort to ensure Trump remains on the ballot in Colorado. This action is supported by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who, along with other Republicans, has submitted a legal argument to the U.S. Supreme Court.