The Colorado ruling against Donald Trump once again compels his rivals to rally to his defense

By JILL COLVIN and HANNAH FINGERHUT
Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) — With less than a month to go before voting begins, Donald Trump’s Republican rivals are once again rallying to his defense. That’s after Colorado’s Supreme Court ruled to remove him from the state’s presidential primary ballot, declaring him ineligible under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause. The pattern is a repetition of what happened following Trump’s successive indictments as he racked up 91 criminal charges. Those hoping to defeat Trump slammed the decision as inappropriate, a “stunt” and an “attack on democracy.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis charged it was part of an elaborate plot by “the left” to ensure Trump wins the nomination because they view him as the party’s weakest candidate.