WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Thursday was a brutal day in front of the U.S. Supreme Court for the Coloradans trying to kick former President Donald Trump off the state's primary ballot.
All signs point to them losing, and Trump winning, and the group might not get a single justice to back up their argument.
The plaintiffs are a small coalition of Colorado voters, four Republicans and two unaffiliateds. They were recruited to join the effort by the liberal Washington, D.C. group CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) to be named in the court challenge against Trump.
91-year-old Norma Anderson is the lead plaintiff in the case, citing the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment.
"This is very personal to me. I've lived a hell of a long time," Anderson said outside the Supreme Court Thursday.
In all her 91 years, Anderson has never experienced this.
"It was a first experience for me to sit in front of The Supremes," she said.
The majority of the justices, even the liberal ones, asked pointed questions about Colorado courts making a decision for other states to replicate or abuse.
"Why should a single state have the ability to make this determination, not only for their own citizens, but for the rest of the nation?" Asked Justice Elena Kagan, an Obama-appointee.
The same concerns were echoed by conservative justices.
> Video below: Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump Colorado ballot case
"It just doesn't seem like a state's call," Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump-appointee, said.
"Do you agree that the state's powers here over its ballot for federal officer election have to come from some constitutional authority?" Justice Neil Gorsuch asked.
"Members of this court have disagreed about that," said Jason Murray, attorney for the Colorado plaintiffs.
"I'm asking you," Gorsuch replied.
The justices seemed skeptical in their direct questions of the attorney representing Anderson's side. From her time as a state legislator, Anderson says she understands that.
"When I would have somebody present a bill in front of me, I would do the same thing. And they'd never know how I was going to vote," she said.
The Republican elephant in the room was really in Florida.
"We have millions of people that are out there wanting to vote, and they happen to want to vote for me or the Republican party, whatever you want to, however you want to phrase it," Trump said of the Supreme Court case from his Mar-A-Lago estate.
The justices' questions and body language suggest Trump will have the opportunity to receive votes.
During the argument, conservative Justice Samuel Alito reclined in his chair for extended periods of time, and even liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson seemed to be frustrated with the answers she received.
So, if Anderson does not win, was this effort that drew a crowd of cameras all around her a complete waste of her time?
"No, no, no," Anderson said. "It's never a waste to defend Democracy."
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