New Hampshire Will Not Seek Trump’s Removal From Ballot

New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan (R) said this week that his state would not proceed with a controversial proposal to remove former President Donald Trump from the ballot on allegations that he aided an ‘insurrection.’ While the move reduces the chance of New Hampshire attempting to remove Trump’s name under 14th Amendment justification, the topic has entered general political discourse.

Scanlan said that he would not pursue a potential plan to deem him ineligible for his state’s 2024 primary ballot. Last week, the secretary of state met with former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Bryant “Corky” Messner regarding the 14th Amendment.

According to the Constitution, those who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the United States cannot hold a position of public trust.

Scanlan said that the former candidate presented regarding “making a challenge to the former president’s qualifications.”

Scanlan told local media that he would seek the counsel of the state’s attorney general. He said that “ultimately whatever is decided is probably going to require some judicial input.”

On Monday, the secretary of state told NBC News that he was “not seeking to remove any names from the presidential primary ballot, and I have not said that I am seeking to remove any names from the presidential primary ballot.”

The discussion surrounding Trump’s possible removal from the ballot was criticized by New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Chris Ager, who told conservative activist Charlie Kirk that such efforts would be “antithetical to our “live free or die” spirit.”

He added that the state would “fight all efforts to eliminate candidates from our primary ballot” and requested that “voters decide the not a weaponized federal justice system using tortured logic.”

New Hampshire’s debate regarding Trump’s eligibility in the 2024 election is part of a wider discussion circulated mainly by left-wing politicians and activists.

Democrats proposed legislation last year to prevent Trump from taking office again, with Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) stating that the “14th Amendment makes clear that based on his past behavior, Donald Trump is disqualified from ever holding federal office again.”