A federal judge rejected on Monday a challenge to former President Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on the Nevada ballot.
U.S. District Court Judge Gloria Navarro found John Anthony Castro, a self-proclaimed Republican primary candidate who has filed challenges to Trump’s eligibility to appear on ballots across the nation, did not have standing to sue. Federal judges in West Virginia, Arizona and Rhode Island have made similar rulings, and the Supreme Court declined in October to take up Castro’s appeal of a case he filed in Florida.
“Multiple federal courts have already dismissed Castro’s Fourteenth Amendment claim for lack of standing, without addressing the merits of whether Trump is eligible to run for office,” the judge wrote. “At least five federal court have specifically rejected Castro’s political competitor standing argument.”
Castro argued Trump is ineligible for the ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which restricts individuals who took an oath to the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection from holding office. He argued that Trump’s appearance on the ballot would harm him because he would receive fewer votes, but judges determined his campaign existed only to pursue litigation. (RELATED: Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Trump’s Appeal Of Decision Removing Him From Colorado Ballot)
A U.S. District Court judge yesterday dismissed a lawsuit seeking to bar Trump from the ballot in Nevada.
The judge found that the plaintiff, Castro, lacked standing to bring the case.
“The Court does not have jurisdiction to rule on the merits of this case.” pic.twitter.com/ZDWAxPyBVu
— Sean Golonka (@s_golonka) January 9, 2024
However, Trump still will not appear on the state’s primary ballot, as he is instead participating in the Nevada Republican Party’s Feb. 8 caucus. Nevada will hold both a caucus and a primary this year to pick its Republican nominee, as a law signed by Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2021 mandated a primary system, though the state party will only consider the results of the caucus.
The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to consider the former president’s eligibility for the ballot under the 14th amendment, agreeing to hear Trump’s appeal of a Colorado Supreme Court decision kicking him off the state’s ballot. The case in that state was filed by the left-wing-donor-backed group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
RENO, NEVADA – DECEMBER 17: Republican Presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a campaign rally at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on December 17, 2023 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows likewise ruled Trump is ineligble to appear on the state’s ballot on Dec. 28, a decision Trump appealed in state court.
Oral arguments to consider Trump’s appeal of the Colorado ruling will be held on Feb. 8.
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