PHOENIX — The Arizona Supreme Court has opted not to consider Republican Kari Lake’s recent petition challenging the results of the 2022 governor’s election. This choice represents yet another setback for Lake in her ongoing efforts to reverse the outcome of the race.
The court announced its decision to dismiss Lake’s appeal on Thursday, but did not provide any rationale for its refusal.
In the previous election, Lake faced off against Democrat Katie Hobbs and lost by a margin exceeding 17,000 votes. Currently, Lake is campaigning for a U.S. Senate seat against Democrat Ruben Gallego.
Earlier court proceedings had dismissed Lake’s allegations regarding ballot printer issues at several polling locations in Maricopa County on Election Day 2022, asserting these issues did not stem from purposeful misconduct. Additionally, the courts found that Maricopa County had adhered to legal requirements for verifying signatures on mail-in ballots. A judge had previously rejected Lake’s request to scrutinize the ballot envelopes of 1.3 million early voters. Overall, Lake engaged in three separate trials linked to the 2022 election.
Even after her previous legal setbacks and a judgement that confirmed Hobbs’ victory, Lake petitioned the Arizona Supreme Court for a review, asserting that she had new evidence to bolster her claims. However, attorneys representing Maricopa County conveyed to the court that Lake did not produce any new material that would alter the conclusions drawn by the courts.
Lake has emerged as one of the more prominent Republican figures advocating for the unfounded claims put forth by former President Donald Trump regarding the election. This narrative was a central theme of her gubernatorial campaign. While many of her fellow election deniers across the nation accepted their losses, Lake has not conceded her defeat.
The Lake campaign has not provided a response regarding the Arizona Supreme Court’s latest ruling, despite inquiries for comment.