Ramaswamy vows to withdraw from Colorado primary ballot unless Trump is on it, calls on GOP opponents to join

The GOP hopeful called the Colorado Supreme Court ruling 'an actual attack on democracy'

Colorado Supreme Court orders Trump off ballot

Fox News anchor Bret Baier has the latest on the 14th Amendment challenge on 'Special Report.'

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is vowing to withdraw his name from the Colorado primary ballot unless former President Trump is reinstated following the state's historic Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday declaring him ineligible for office. 

"This is what an *actual* attack on democracy looks like: in an un-American, unconstitutional, and *unprecedented* decision, a cabal of Democrat judges are barring Trump from the ballot in Colorado," Ramaswamy reacted on X. "Having tried every trick in the book to eliminate President Trump from running in this election, the bipartisan Establishment is now deploying a new tactic to bar him from ever holding office again: the 14th Amendment." 

"I pledge to *withdraw* from the Colorado GOP primary unless Trump is also allowed to be on the state’s ballot, and I demand that Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley to do the same immediately - or else they are tacitly endorsing this illegal maneuver which will have disastrous consequences for our country," he wrote.   

COLORADO SUPREME COURT DISQUALIFIES TRUMP FROM 2024 BALLOT

Vivek Ramaswamy in New Hampshire

GOP hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy is pledging to withdraw his name from the Colorado GOP primary if former President Trump isn't reinstated.  (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

The Colorado Supreme Court's disqualification, which was made under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, cited Trump's conduct during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Tuesday's 4-3 ruling is stayed until January 4 because of likely appeals. Three justices on the Colorado Supreme Court dissented.

"We do not reach these conclusions lightly," the court's majority wrote. "We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach."

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Trump Campaign Spokesman Steven Cheung wrote in a statement that an appeal would be filed on Tuesday night.

"Unsurprisingly, the all-Democrat appointed Colorado Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, supporting a Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden by removing President Trump’s name from the ballot and eliminating the rights of Colorado voters to vote for the candidate of their choice. Democrat Party leaders are in a state of paranoia over the growing, dominant lead President Trump has amassed in the polls. They have lost faith in the failed Biden presidency and are now doing everything they can to stop the American voters from throwing them out of office next November," Cheung wrote. 

"The Colorado Supreme Court issued a completely flawed decision tonight and we will swiftly file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision. We have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favor and finally put an end to these unAmerican lawsuits," he added.

Former President Donald Trump

The Trump campaign panned the Colorado Supreme Court's ruling banning the former president from the 2024 ballot, predicting the Supreme Court will rule in its favor.  (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In a previous ruling, Colorado District Judge Sarah B. Wallace allowed Trump to stay on the ballot, but found that Trump "engaged in insurrection" for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement that she would "continue to follow court guidance on this important issue."

"The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump is barred from the Colorado ballot for inciting the January 6 insurrection and attempting to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election. This decision may be appealed," Griswold wrote.

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Republican presidential candidates

Ramaswamy is challenging his GOP rivals Chris Christie, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis on joining him in vowing to pull their names from the Colorado ballot following the state's Supreme Court ruling against former President Trump. (Getty Images)

The 14th Amendment states: "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."

Disqualification lawsuits relating to Trump's appearance on the ballot are pending in 13 states, including Texas, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Fox News' Bill Mears and Adam Sabes contributed to this report. 

Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.

Authored by Joseph Wulfsohn via FoxNews December 19th 2023