A federal judge in West Virginia has rejected an attempt to remove former President Donald Trump from the state’s ballot. The ruling came as a lawsuit filed by John Anthony Castro was dismissed. District Judge Irene Berger declared that Castro lacked the standing to sue and sided with attorneys for Trump, Secretary of State Mac Warner, and the West Virginia GOP in their effort to dismiss the lawsuit.
The judge wrote that the evidence submitted by Castro removes any doubt that his purported campaign exists as a vehicle for litigation, not votes. Castro, based in Texas, has filed multiple lawsuits against Trump to remove him from state ballots. However, earlier this month, a judge in Arizona dismissed a similar lawsuit.
Castro’s lawsuit argued that Trump should be disqualified from appearing on the state’s ballot due to a provision in the Fourteenth Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court previously declined to hear a similar case brought by Castro in Florida.
The ruling by a Colorado court also found Trump ineligible for the state’s ballots, but it was a different case brought by an activist group. Judge Berger stated that Castro’s complaint contains few specific factual allegations related to his candidacy and relies on supposition and speculation. She concluded that his purported campaign exists as a vehicle for pursuing litigation, not votes.
After the ruling, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey praised the order as a “strong victory for our office and the rule of law.” In response, Castro disputed the order, suggesting that he is not running for President “in bad faith” to “manufacture” standing.
Federal Election Commission records show that Castro has raised zero dollars via donors and has not shown up in any major national or state polls.
In Colorado, the Supreme Court found Trump disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. This section stipulates disqualification for anyone who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against” the United States or had “given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.” However, some legal experts and Democratic officials have disputed the legitimacy of the 14th Amendment-based attempts to block the former president from running.
The lawsuit brought by Castro highlights the ongoing legal challenges President Trump faces as he seeks to appear on state ballots for the 2024 presidential election. The outcomes of these cases could have significant implications for the Republican primary and general elections. As the legal battles continue, the former president’s political future remains uncertain, and his opponents are determined to keep him off the ballot.
