FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — A man running to become Kentucky secretary of state cannot use his supposed nickname of “Trump” on the election ballot, the Franklin County Circuit Court ordered on Monday.
Carl Nett is running as Republican in the 2019 election to replace current Demoratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.
Lundergan Grimes office rule Feb. 11 that Nett could not use the nickname “Trump” on the ballot, calling it an illegal attempt to use the president’s name to boost his election chances.
On Monday, the state court agree, find that Nett “lacks the legal right to use politically advantageous nickname.”
“Today, the Franklin Circuit Court reaffirmed my authority to remove a nickname from the ballot to ensure the integrity of our elections,” Grimes said in a statement. “I appreciate the Court’s careful consideration of the matter and upholding the work of this office. I will continue to fulfill my duties as Kentucky’s Secretary of State in accordance with the law.”
Nett had claimed that he was an early supporter of Trump, and that people gave him the nickname as an insult. Nett said he has turned it around, and that now people often shout “Trump” when he enters a room.
