WASHINGTON: Former President Donald Trump faces a setback in his potential 2024 presidential bid after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled against his candidacy due to his involvement in the January 2021 US Capitol riots. This marks the first instance in US history where a presidential candidate has been barred from running in Colorado.

The court's decision, invoking Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution aims to disqualify individuals engaged in rebellion or aggression. Trump, as the Republican candidate will not be able to participate in the party's primary in Colorado on March 5 affecting his chance to secure votes in this state.

However, the ruling's impact is confined solely to Colorado leaving Trump eligible to compete in Republican primaries in other states. Should he gain momentum over other Republican contenders in those states, he could still secure the party's presidential nomination.

Colorado, historically leaning towards Democrats, favoured Biden in the 2020 presidential election, indicating potential implications for the upcoming 2024 race if other states follow Colorado's lead in restricting Trump's candidacy.

Trump has until January 4 to appeal the Colorado Supreme Court's decision. He condemned the ruling as undemocratic and expressed intentions to appeal to the US Supreme Court to challenge the ban.

This development holds significant consequences for Trump's potential candidacy, impacting his ability to participate in the primary race in Colorado while also signalling the broader implications if similar bans are imposed by other states.