An Illinois judge has made a pivotal decision to exclude former President Donald Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot, attributing the action to his involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot. The ruling, issued by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Tracie R. Porter, is currently on hold, pending an expected appeal, with the primary scheduled for March 19.
Judge Porter’s judgment explicitly stated that Trump’s engagement in the insurrection on January 6, 2021, warrants the removal of his name from the upcoming ballot. Reacting sharply to this decision, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung condemned the ruling as “unconstitutional” and criticized Judge Porter, labeling her an “activist Democrat judge.” The Trump campaign is also leveraging the ruling to fundraise.
This legal challenge was initiated by a group of five individuals who, on January 4—the same day Trump filed his ballot appearance documents—petitioned to have him removed from the primary ballot, leading to a judicial review by the Cook County Circuit Court.
Illinois now joins Colorado and Maine as the third state to declare Trump ineligible for the primary ballot under similar circumstances, with all decisions currently subject to appeal. These rulings draw on the disqualification clause of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, a post-Civil War measure that disallows individuals who have engaged in insurrection and previously sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution from holding public office, though its applicability to presidential roles remains unclear.
The Supreme Court has recently delved into the Colorado case during oral arguments, though a verdict is still forthcoming. Judge Porter, in her decision, referenced the Colorado Supreme Court’s findings, expressing alignment with their cautious approach to such a significant determination.
Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2021 to fill a vacancy, Judge Porter, a Democrat, was subsequently elected to her position the following year. Her ruling carries significant weight, especially within Cook County, Illinois’ most populous region, encompassing Chicago.