DeSantis says Ramaswamy’s call to withdraw from ballots is ‘absurd’

Ron DeSantis dismissed calls from fellow GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to withdraw from the Colorado and Maine ballots.

“Just absurd. I mean, I have a responsibility to accumulate delegates,” the Florida governor told Fox News Tuesday. “I’m not gonna unilaterally cede any, I’m gonna win as many as I can, and I’ve been very clear about both of those decisions and those states.”

Mr. Ramaswamy, in solidarity with former President Donald Trump, has called on Mr. DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to join him in vacating the ballots for the March 5 Colorado and Maine primaries.

Mr. Trump was booted from the two ballots after the states decided that he violated the 14th Amendment for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, protest at the U.S. Capitol. The Colorado Supreme Court made its decision on Dec. 19, and an appeal is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court. Maine’s secretary of state removed the former president on Dec. 28, and he filed an appeal Tuesday.

Amid the appeals, Mr. Trump remains on the ballots.

Mr. DeSantis said he expects the ballot decisions to get reversed because “it’s not consistent with the Constitution.”

He then pointed to President Biden’s immigration failures.

“I’ve raised the question about Biden. I mean, if he has green-lit 8 million illegals invading this country, is he eligible to be on?” Mr. DeSantis said.

“So, we can play this game all along. I think it’s not going to end up well for our country. But I do know this, that if any of the other ones of us had gotten kicked off the ballot, Trump would be spiking the football. Let’s just be clear; that is just the fact of the matter.”