Michigan Supreme Court rules Trump can remain on state's GOP primary ballot

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled to keep former President Donald Trump on the state's Republican primary ballot.

The Michigan Supreme Court declined to reconsider the appeals court decision earlier this month that the courts nor Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson could keep Trump off the Feb. 27 Republican primary.

The state's high court upheld a lower court ruling as it said that on procedural grounds it was not "persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court."

The court, however, did not rule specifically on whether Trump should be disqualified under the 14th Amendment.

Watchdog group Free Speech For People, which filed the appeal, said it was "disappointed" by the decision.

"It simply declined to overrule a lower court ruling that the Michigan state challenge process does not allow challenges to presidential candidates at the primary stage," the group wrote.

Trump hailed the decision in a post on Truth Social.

"The Michigan Supreme Court has strongly and rightfully denied the Desperate Democrat attempt to take the leading candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election, me, off the ballot in the Great State of Michigan," he wrote.

He also called challenges to his candidacy citing the 14th amendment a "pathetic gambit" as he said "Colorado is the only state to have fallen prey to the scheme" after the Colorado Supreme Court last week ruled to remove Trump from the ballot.

The opposing rulings strengthen the likelihood of the U.S. Supreme Court stepping in to resolve the issue, spurred by liberal activist groups who are trying to use the 14th Amendment to keep Trump from being elected president again.

The groups argued in various cases, including Michigan, that Trump's actions on Jan. 6, 2021, prevented him from running for office again, citing the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution bars anyone from holding office if they engaged in "insurrection or rebellion."

Several courts that have ruled on similar filings have said questions of Trump being disqualified from the ballots fall on Congress and not state courts or election officials.

The Colorado Supreme Court, however, ruled in a split decision that the 14th Amendment, which dates back to the post-Civil War era, does not require Congress to weigh in.