(OPINION) “The View” co-host Sara Haines argued Democrats’ efforts to remove former President Trump from state ballots for 2024 would backfire by creating a “vision of a rigged election.”
Last week, Maine’s Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ruled that Trump was barred from running for president in her state because he allegedly “engaged in insurrection” through his actions leading up to and during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Bellows denied politics played a role in her decision in an interview with NPR.
The Maine decision followed a similar ruling by Colorado’s Supreme Court blocking Trump from the state’s primary ballot. He is expected to appeal both rulings, the AP reported.
On Tuesday’s “The View”, Haines argued these efforts would cause more division and reinforce Trump’s position that Democrats are trying to interfere in the 2024 election.
Haines said she agreed with former Obama adviser David Axelrod and Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom’s arguments that Democrats must beat Trump at the polls instead.
“The point I would say here is, I actually agree with Governor Gavin Newsom and David Axelrod, these are Democrats, leading Democrats that say, this would really cause a division that’s almost insurmountable,” Haines began.
The co-host said she believed voters should be the ones to deny Trump re-election. She predicted the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn these rulings in a 9-0 vote.
“I think the division this will cause, because what will happen is, that martyrdom will be one step more. We have a nation that doesn’t believe in democracy, doesn’t believe in voting, everyone that loses says it was rigged and failed. I think this will create a vision, a visual to people that this was a rigged election. I do,” Haines argued.
Staunch Trump critic Joy Behar disagreed. “I think that the law will stand and people should follow the law. Listen, if you’re not going to follow an amendment, then why don’t we have Taylor Swift run for president?” she replied in exasperation.
