Republican rivals of former President Donald Trump are coming to his defense, criticizing Maine's Democratic Secretary of State for removing Trump's name from the GOP primary ballot. They argue that the decision should be left to the voters, not the courts. Privately, Trump's advisers see these ballot cases as more advantageous than his other legal battles. They believe it allows them to portray the situation as political persecution, with Democrats attempting to block Trump from running against President Joe Biden.
The Trump campaign is receiving support not only from Republicans who back him but also from those who do not typically support him, including some Democrats. They plan to highlight the contrast between the states where Trump's name remained on the ballot, including both Democratic and Republican-led states, and the specific cases in Colorado and Maine where rulings went against Trump. By doing so, they aim to make a political case for voter choice and paint the decisions as driven by partisan interests.
