In a surprising twist, Governor Gavin Newsom of California has rejected a request from his lieutenant governor to find a way to remove President Donald Trump from the ballot in the upcoming election. Lt. Governor Kounalakis had sent a letter to the California Secretary of State calling for measures to prevent Trump from running, citing concerns about his threat to democracy and liberties. However, Newsom dismissed the request, stating that candidates in California are defeated at the polls, and any attempt to remove Trump from the ballot would be a political distraction.
This decision by Newsom has raised eyebrows and sparked discussion among Democrats who have been leading the charge to remove Trump from ballots in various states, including Colorado. Even left-leaning figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West have expressed reservations about such strategies. Kennedy warned that if Trump is kept off the ballot, it could lead to parts of the country becoming ungovernable, as many would refuse to accept the election results. Similarly, West, who plans to mount a third-party run, believes that this should not be left up to the courts.
