One of Trump's own hand-picked candidates wants to kick him off the ballot in 2024

A legal effort is gaining steam in New Hampshire to try to disqualify former President Donald Trump from the ballot in New Hampshire, on the grounds that the 14th Amendment disqualifies him as the instigator of an insurrection against the United States.

Republicans are not all unified against the bid, however, according to POLITICO. Rather, some are actually on board with it — including a failed candidate Trump previously endorsed.

"The dispute is taking off in New Hampshire, where Bryant “Corky” Messner, an attorney who ran on Trump’s endorsement as Republicans’ 2020 U.S. Senate nominee, is questioning Trump’s eligibility for the ballot — and wants to see the courts address it. 'I’m a Constitutional conservative. The words say what they say,' Messner said in an interview. 'I quite frankly believe it is in Donald Trump’s best interest to get this looked at as quickly as possible,'" reported Lisa Kashinsky.

POLL: Should Trump be allowed to run for office?

However, the state GOP chair Chris Ager — who has made no endorsement in the 2024 race — strongly disagrees, per the report. “I am very confident that all of the known presidential candidates who are campaigning in New Hampshire, when they apply, they will be put on the primary ballot,” Ager said. “Corky’s a friend of mine and I respect him. I just totally disagree with him on this issue. And the Republican Party will fight to make sure that candidates are not denied access to the ballot.”

The 14th Amendment challenge in New Hampshire is being pushed by Free Speech for People, a group that unsuccessfully tried to use the same argument to remove Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) from the ballot (Cawthorn would go on to be defeated in his primary). The group has sent letters to election officials in nine states urging them to take Trump off the ballot.

Current polling shows Trump well ahead of every rival in the 2024 primary, with little if any movement against him after he skipped the first GOP primary debate in Wisconsin.