Maine’s top election official has ruled that Donald Trump cannot run for president next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Mr Trump was not eligible because of his actions leading up to the US Capitol riot in 2021.

Maine now joins Colorado as the two states to ban Mr Trump from the ballot.

The decisions increase pressure on the US Supreme Court to weigh in.

Colorado votes reliably Democratic, however Maine is more politically competitive and would be more significant for Mr Trump – the Republican frontrunner – to lose.

The Trump campaign has already said it will lodge an appeal in the state’s courts against the Maine ruling, which won’t take effect while the legal process plays out.

Hours after Maine’s decision, California – America’s most populous state- announced that Mr Trump would remain on the Republican primary ballot there.

Courts in other states, including Michigan and Minnesota, have also recently dismissed efforts to block Mr Trump from running as a candidate.

It is likely that the Supreme Court will make the ultimate decision as to whether Mr Trump can run for president or whether he is ineligible because of a Civil War-era amendment to the US Constitution.

Source: BBC