Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Reno, Nevada.Godofredo A. Vásquez/APCNN —
The 2024 GOP presidential primary kicks off in January with Republican front-runner Donald Trump campaigning to win nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire while facing his own legal challenges.
Here are key dates to watch as some of the former president’s legal woes and important election dates come to a head next month:
January 4
Trump has until January 4 to appeal the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to take him off the state’s 2024 ballot. The Colorado Republican Party, which was also a party in the case, has already appealed the ruling and asked the US Supreme Court to overturn the decision.
January 9
Trump’s legal team on January 9 will begin making its case for the Washington, DC, Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court’s ruling that rejected the former president’s claim of immunity in special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion case.
January 10
CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate a Republican primary debate at Drake University in Des Moines, lowa, on January 10 at 9 p.m. ET.
January 11
The judge in Trump’s New York civil fraud trial will hear closing arguments on January 11 with hopes of issuing a ruling in the case by the end of the month – though Trump’s team has already appealed the judge’s summary judgement and will likely appeal his ruling in the trial itself.
January 15
Iowa Republicans on January 15 will cast their votes in the first-in-the nation caucuses, a critical nominating contest that can make or break a campaign’s momentum.
January 16
The trial to determine damages in E. Jean Carroll’s second lawsuit against Trump is set to begin on January 16 after a judge found that he was liable for defamatory statements. A civil jury in a separate lawsuit has already ordered the former president to pay Carroll $5 million for battery and defamation after finding that he sexually abused her.
January 21
CNN will host a Republican presidential primary https://madusekali.com debate at New England College in New Hampshire on January 21.
January 23
Voters in New Hampshire will head to the polls on January 23 to cast their votes in the Republican presidential primary election.
This story has been updated with additional developments.