Supreme Court of U.S. Michigan keeps Trump on 2024 primary ballot

CHICAGO, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) - The Supreme Court of U.S. state of Michigan on Wednesday rejected an appeal to remove former U.S. President Donald Trump from the state's 2024 primary ballot based on the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause.

Michigan high court said in a brief order that the justices "are not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court."

The ruling contrasts with the decision made by Colorado Supreme Court on Dec. 19 to remove the former president from the ballot.

A lower court in Michigan initially threw out the case, an appeals court upheld that ruling, and the high court upheld the ruling of the two lower courts.

Trump hailed the order in a statement, saying "the Michigan Supreme Court has strongly and rightfully denied the desperate Democrat attempt to take the leading candidate in the 2024 presidential election, me, off the ballot in the great state of Michigan."

Mark Brewer, representing four plaintiffs in the case and former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, said his clients would revisit the issue if Trump should win the Republican nomination.

The Michigan presidential primary is set to take place on Feb. 27.

A liberal watchdog group filed the case on behalf of Michigan voters who wanted to have Trump removed from the ballot based on his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his actions related to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Similar challenges have been filed in numerous U.S. states across the country, though many have already been dismissed.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies anyone who previously took an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution but "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against it from holding federal office, though that can be removed by a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate.