So basically, Trump is facing another ballot challenge in Illinois just after filing his petitions. A group of five voters from both major parties joined together to file this challenge, claiming Trump should be disqualified under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. The objection alleges that Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 elections, including his involvement in events leading up to the January 6th insurrection, make him ineligible.
The Illinois State Board of Elections website states that Trump campaign filed its petitions at 8 a.m., along with fellow Republican candidates such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Trump campaign has already filed appeals in two cases related to this challenge, including a direct appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In some states, primary elections are considered operations of political parties, not the state itself, and therefore are not subject to rules set by the state. The objection cites numerous other government agencies and officials who have concluded that the events of January 6th were an insurrection.
Legal challenges to a candidate’s qualifications for office are not uncommon in Illinois. In 2016, a similar challenge was filed against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton based on her petition signatures. State Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich said in an email that the objection to Trump’s candidacy will be investigated by a hearing officer who will make a recommendation to the board’s general counsel.
Overall, it seems like Trump is facing another obstacle in his quest to run for president again, but it remains to be seen if this challenge will succeed or not.