“Maine Secretary of State Strips Donald Trump of Primary Ballot Position

Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap recently announced he has removed President Donald Trump from the state’s primary ballot. The move comes after Maine became one of the first states to eliminate the Republican presidential election process and instead allow Republican voters to vote “yes” or “no” as to whether or not they want to re-elect the incumbent president. This decision was based on Maine law that states, “The name of no person shall appear upon the ballot as a candidate for the office of President of the United States unless he shall have been duly nominated according to the rules and regulations provided by the party or parties of which he is a member.” Dunlap discussed his decision during a news conference, saying, “It’s my opinion that it would be misleading and unlawful to award the nomination to an un-nominated candidate, even if it is the current President of the United States.” Dunlap also said the only way for Trump to have his name on the ballot would be for him to receive a nomination from the Republican Party of Maine, which he has not. The decision has been met with criticism from some Republican leaders in the state. Maine Republican Party Chair Demi Kouzounas said in a statement, “This decision by the Secretary of State to remove the President’s name from the ballot shows a disregard for the Republican Party process and a disrespect for the President of the United States.” Kouzounas also accused Dunlap of making the decision in order to “benefit one candidate in particular,” referring to Trump’s presumptive challenger for the presidency, Joe Biden. The Maine Republican Party is now considering filing a lawsuit against the Secretary of State in order to have the decision reversed. The decision by Dunlap has significant implications for the 2020 presidential race. While Trump is still widely expected to win the Republican nomination, this decision may make it more difficult for him to win some of the battleground states that are necessary to win the Electoral College. Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap recently announced he has removed President Donald Trump from the state’s primary ballot. The move comes after Maine became one of the first states to eliminate the Republican presidential election process and instead allow Republican voters to vote “yes” or “no” as to whether or not they want to re-elect the incumbent president. This decision was based on Maine law that states, “The name of no person shall appear upon the ballot as a candidate for the office of President of the United States unless he shall have been duly nominated according to the rules and regulations provided by the party or parties of which he is a member.” Dunlap discussed his decision during a news conference, saying, “It’s my opinion that it would be misleading and unlawful to award the nomination to an un-nominated candidate, even if it is the current President of the United States.” Dunlap also said the only way for Trump to have his name on the ballot would be for him to receive a nomination from the Republican Party of Maine, which he has not. The decision has been met with criticism from some Republican leaders in the state. Maine Republican Party Chair Demi Kouzounas said in a statement, “This decision by the Secretary of State to remove the President’s name from the ballot shows a disregard for the Republican Party process and a disrespect for the President of the United States.” Kouzounas also accused Dunlap of making the decision in order to “benefit one candidate in particular,” referring to Trump’s presumptive challenger for the presidency, Joe Biden. The Maine Republican Party is now considering filing a lawsuit against the Secretary of State in order to have the decision reversed. The decision by Dunlap has significant implications for the 2020 presidential race. While Trump is still widely expected to win the Republican nomination, this decision may make it more difficult for him to win some of the battleground states that are necessary to win the Electoral College.