Maine Secretary of State attempts to disqualify Trump from primaries over 2020 election claims

Bellows charged that Trump, currently the leading Republican candidate for the presidency in 2024, incited the Washington riots in January 2021. According to her, Trump rallied his followers to march to the Capitol to halt Congress from confirming the election outcome.

Unlike other states, Bellows, who supervises elections in Maine, was required to make a preliminary verdict regarding the disqualification before the courts assessed it.

Saying, "The decision was arrived at after a group of former Maine lawmakers claimed that Trump should be disqualified under the U.S. Constitution, which forbids those who have participated in 'insurrection or rebellion' from holding office, having previously sworn allegiance to the United States", the Associated Press Agency reported.

Trump can contest Bellows' verdict solely about the primaries before the state court. He was previously barred from participating in the Colorado primaries, which might add pressure on the U.S. Supreme Court to determine whether the former president is eligible to run for re-election nationwide.

Trump faces legal action both federally and in Georgia for his alleged attempt to invalidate the 2020 election. However, he has not been indicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

In the scramble for the Republican nomination in the 2024 election, Trump holds a substantial lead in the polls. He previously indicated his intention to challenge the Colorado decision before the Supreme Court, branding the questioning of election outcomes as "undemocratic".

Last Wednesday, the Michigan Supreme Court, which plays a crucial role in general elections, declined to consider an appeal regarding Trump's disqualification from the presidential race. Some other states have also dismissed similar disqualification attempts.

Trump's legal team continues to challenge allegations regarding his role in the Capitol riots. They maintain that his speeches aimed at his supporters fall under the protection of free speech rights.