Hear from the Republican who led the attempt to bar Trump from the ballot

DENVER (KDVR) — The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled Monday that former President Donald Trump can appear on the Colorado ballot for the 2024 election, overturning a state Supreme Court ruling otherwise.

The decision shuts down a push in dozens of states to end Trump’s candidacy through a clause in the 14th Amendment, written to prevent former Confederates from serving in government after the Civil War.

FOX31 sat down with the lead plaintiff in the case, Norma Anderson.

“I’m not surprised that we lost, but the opinion they wrote did surprise me a little bit,” Anderson said.

The court found that states do not have the ability to bar him — or any other federal candidates — from the ballot under a rarely-used constitutional provision that prohibits those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office.

“The Constitution says it’s the state’s right for anything that is not explicitly explained in the rest of the Constitution. Elections aren’t. Other than electors,” Anderson said, pointing out that electors are decided by states. “So that portion disappointed me — that we don’t have that right as to who’s on the ballot.”

Colorado politicians respond to Supreme Court ruling keeping Trump on ballot

Anderson told FOX31 she’s a lifelong Republican. The 91-year-old served as a Republican lawmaker in Colorado for 19 years.

“He’s a danger to, in my opinion, to our democracy,” Anderson said of Trump. “It’s about our freedom and democracy — all it’s about.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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