The Arizona Republican Party plans to defend former President Donald Trump’s right to be on the ballot in the state’s 2024 presidential preference election.
The move stems from a federal lawsuit filed in Phoenix last month that claims Trump is disqualified from running based on the 14th Amendment. The Civil War-era constitutional amendment bars anyone who engaged in an insurrection or rebellion against the government from holding federal office.
The state GOP has not taken a position on who should be their nominee. Instead, an attorney for the party told Capitol Media Services they want Republican voters to have the maximum opportunity when voting in their presidential primary.
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes already said he has no say in the matter and points to a law that requires a candidate who files enough signatures to be included on the ballot if they qualify in two other states.