California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis has urged the Secretary of State to initiate an examination of potential measures for excluding Donald Trump from the 2024 state ballot
In the aftermath of the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to bar former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot, an unexpected voice emerged in defense of Trump—former Ohio Governor John Kasich, a longtime critic of Trump and his policies. Kasich’s support for Trump in this particular matter underscores the broader implications he sees in the decision, particularly the potential partisan nature of such rulings.
In an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Jansing, Kasich decried the decision as “pure partisan ridiculous stuff.” He emphasized the partisan composition of the court, consisting entirely of Democrats, and expressed concerns about the precedent this decision might set. Kasich, who clashed with Trump during the 2016 Republican nomination race, worried about the tit-for-tat nature of such decisions, where one party’s actions prompt retaliation from the other.
LOOK, YOU’VE GOT A PARTISAN COURT, ALL DEMOCRATS, AND THEY BARELY — THEY BARELY COULD SAY THAT HE SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED, AND THINK ABOUT THE PRECEDENT OF THIS. I ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT THAT, I WORRY ABOUT THE FACT — I’VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE — “YOU DO THIS TO ME, I DO THIS TO YOU,” AND THIS JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON. I JUST THINK THIS CASE IS NOT GOING TO HOLD UP, AND IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT — IF IT WERE TO HOLD UP, YOU TELL ME WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF FUTURE DECISIONS BEING MADE BY PARTISANS, IT TELLS SOMEBODY WHO SHOULD BE ON THE BALLOT.
AND FRANKLY, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ARE PROBABLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. BUT, I’VE GOT NEWS FOR THEM, OR ADVICE FOR THEM. WHY DON’T YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEAT TRUMP? THAT WOULD BE A MORE IMPORTANT DECISION.
Highlighting the potential consequences of upholding this decision, Kasich questioned the legitimacy of future decisions made by partisan entities and the impact on the process of determining who should be on the ballot. While acknowledging that many Democrats might be pleased with the outcome, Kasich offered advice: focus on defeating Trump through fair competition rather than resorting to legal maneuvering.
Anticipating the reactions from Trump supporters, Kasich predicted that they would interpret the decision as evidence of the “deep state” preventing Trump from participating in the political arena. He underscored the narrative likely to be propagated by Trump and his followers: “The deep state is at it again!”
Unsurprisingly, Trump swiftly reacted to the decision on his Truth Social platform, decrying “ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” and vowing to appeal the ruling through his legal team. The clash in Colorado sets the stage for a legal battle with potential far-reaching implications, with Kasich’s unexpected alignment with Trump adding an intriguing dimension to the unfolding political drama.
