Minnesota Justices Rebuff Attempt to Bar Trump From Ballot Under 14th Amendment

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking to disqualify former President Donald J. Trump from holding office again under the 14th Amendment.

Election officials and the courts did not have the authority to stop the Republican Party from offering him as a primary candidate, the justices found. They did not rule on the merits of the 14th Amendment claim.

The presidential primary is “an internal party election to serve internal party purposes, and winning the presidential nomination primary does not place the person on the general election ballot as a candidate for president of the United States,” the court wrote in an order signed by Chief Justice Natalie E. Hudson, with no noted dissents.

“There is no state statute that prohibits a major political party from placing on the presidential nomination primary ballot, or sending delegates to the national convention supporting, a candidate who is ineligible to hold office,” it continued. “Because there is no error to correct here as to the presidential nomination primary, and petitioners’ other claims regarding the general election are not ripe, the petition must be dismissed.”

The court emphasized that the petitioners were free to file the same claims again later, challenging Mr. Trump’s inclusion on the general-election ballot if he wins the Republican nomination. For now, it did not address any of the constitutional questions surrounding whether the 14th Amendment applies to Mr. Trump.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.