Former President Donald J. Trump’s rivals within the Republican race for president once more lined up in his protection on Thursday after Maine barred him from its major election poll, the second state to take action.
When the Colorado Supreme Courtroom barred Mr. Trump from the first poll there final week, all of Mr. Trump’s opponents additionally criticized the choice, rather than using it as an avenue of attack.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Vivek Ramaswamy, the entrepreneur, made a lot the identical arguments on Thursday evening.
“It opens up Pandora’s box,” Mr. DeSantis mentioned on Fox Information after the Maine determination was introduced. “Can you have a Republican secretary of state disqualify Biden from the ballot?”
Mr. DeSantis had beforehand advised that the ruling in Colorado had been a part of a plot to solidify Republican support behind Mr. Trump within the major. He had additionally mentioned that Mr. Trump’s legal indictments had “sucked all the oxygen” out of the race.
Mr. Ramaswamy, the candidate who ostensibly is operating towards Mr. Trump however has most enthusiastically defended the previous president, once more mentioned he would withdraw from the first in any state the place Mr. Trump was not on the poll. He additionally referred to as on the G.O.P. discipline — Mr. DeSantis, former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina and former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey — to make the same pledge.
“This is what an actual threat to democracy looks like,” Mr. Ramaswamy mentioned in an announcement. “The system is hellbent on taking this man out, the Constitution be damned.”
A press release from the Haley marketing campaign mentioned that “Nikki will beat Trump fair and square. It should be up to voters to decide who gets elected.”
A spokesman for Mr. Christie’s marketing campaign pointed to his earlier criticism of the Colorado ruling. Mr. Christie mentioned on the time {that a} court docket shouldn’t exclude a candidate from the poll with out a trial that included “evidence that’s accepted by a jury.” He has additionally mentioned that Mr. Trump needs to be defeated on the poll field.
Different Republicans moved shortly to specific their outrage on Thursday. Consultant Elise Stefanik of New York, the No. 4 Republican within the Home, referred to as Mr. Trump’s removing from the poll in Maine “election interference, voter suppression and a blatant attack on democracy.”
Response from Maine’s congressional delegation was break up. Senator Susan Collins, the lone Republican, mentioned the choice, which she mentioned would “deny thousands of Mainers the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice,” needs to be overturned. Senator Angus King, an impartial who caucuses with Democrats, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Consultant Jared Golden, a Maine Democrat who’s more likely to face a detailed re-election bid, mentioned he disagreed with the choice, arguing that Mr. Trump had not been discovered responsible of the crime of riot and due to this fact ought to stay on the poll. Mr. Golden’s seat has been rated a tossup in an evaluation by The Prepare dinner Political Report.
“I voted to impeach Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. I do not believe he should be re-elected as president of the United States,” Mr. Golden mentioned in an announcement. “However, we are a nation of laws, therefore, until he is actually found guilty of the crime of insurrection, he should be allowed on the ballot.”
Consultant Chellie Pingree, who’s in a protected Democratic seat in Maine’s different congressional district, mentioned she supported the state’s determination.
“The text of the 14th Amendment is clear. No person who engaged in an insurrection against the government can ever again serve in elected office,” Ms. Pingree mentioned in an announcement, including that “our Constitution is the very bedrock of America and our laws and it appears Trump’s actions are prohibited by the Constitution.”
