Republican leader Kari Lake was dealt a blow on Saturday when an Arizona state judge refused to entertain her lawsuit plea attempting to overturn the election defeat against Democrat Governor-elect Katie Hobbs.
Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson who oversaw the two-day trial rejected the plea saying the Republican leader had failed to provide evidence of electoral misconduct.
“Plaintiff has no free-standing right to challenge election results based upon what Plaintiff believes – rightly or wrongly – went awry on Election Day. She must, as a matter of law, prove a ground that the legislature has provided as a basis for challenging an election,” the judge wrote ina 10-page ruling.
After the judgement, Lake, who was present in the courtroom took to Twitter to state she will appeal the ruling.
“My Election Case provided the world with evidence that proves our elections are run outside of the law. This Judge did not rule in our favor. However, for the sake of restoring faith and honesty in our elections, I will appeal his ruling,” tweeted Lake.
My Election Case provided the world with evidence that proves our elections are run outside of the law. This Judge did not rule in our favor. However, for the sake of restoring faith and honesty in our elections, I will appeal his ruling.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) December 24, 2022
Ever since the election results were announced, Lake and her cohort of leaders conjured up a conspiracy theory that the election results were deliberately muddled by the election officials in Maricopa County.
“For two years I have been sounding the alarm about our election system in Arizona. And this past week has confirmed everything we’ve been saying,” she said in the video posted in the aftermath of the defeat.
“Our election officials failed us miserably. What happened to Arizonans on election day is unforgivable.”
Lake lost to her rival Hobbs by over 17,000 votes. She had built her candidacy by supporting Donald Trump and his version that the 2020 presidential elections were also sabotaged.
Akin to Trump, Lake also took a similar approach after the defeat in the governor race. Lake’s loss and the subsequent rejection of her plea by the court is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Republicans who had hoped for a red wave across the country.
(With inputs from agencies)
