Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized fellow Democrats for considering barring former president Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot, saying, “we’re losing candidates at the polls.”
“There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a threat to our freedoms and even our democracy,” Newsom said in a statement. “But in California, we’re beating candidates at the polls.”
“Everything else is a political distraction,” Newsom said.
RFK JR SLAMS CALIFORNIA LT GOV FOR EYEING BID TO REMOVE TRUMP FROM BALLOT
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California on May 2, 2023. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
The effort to boot Trump off the ballot is gaining momentum after Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis sent a letter to California’s Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber, and urged him to “explore” all legal options to remove the former President from the state ballot.
“Based on the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision in Anderson v. Griswold (2023 CO 63), I urge you to explore every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot,” the letter to Weber said. .
In the letter, Kounalakis said pursuing legal options for Trump’s removal is about “protecting the fundamental pillars of our democracy.”
CALIFORNIA LT. GOV CALLS ON STATES TO ‘EXPLOR EVERY LEGAL OPTION’ TO REMOVE TRUMP FROM ’24 BALLOT
“This decision is about respecting the rule of law in our country and protecting the fundamental pillars of our democracy,” Kounalakis wrote.
Acevedo maintained that he gave Trump a “fair platform” that would allow viewers to judge him for themselves. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Newsom’s comments follow this week’s decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to remove Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot.
The divided court ruled that Trump was ineligible to run for president under the US Constitution insurrection clause, arguing that his actions fueled the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by right-wing protesters aimed at disrupting congressional certification of President Biden’s 2020 election victory.
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The blockbuster development was immediately condemned from almost every corner of the GOP. Additionally, Republicans are Trump’s rivals for their party presidential nomination – aiming to defeat him at the ballot box – quickly rallied around the former president.
Gov did not immediately respond. Gavin Newsom and Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis on Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
