Kari Lake headed to trial on last remaining claim in suit over loss in Arizona governor’s race

By JACQUES BILLEAUD
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge has rejected a bid by election officials to throw out the last remaining election misconduct claim by Kari Lake, the 2022 Republican candidate for Arizona governor. That sets up a three-day trial over the former TV anchor’s challenge of her defeat to Democrat Katie Hobbs. In a ruling issued Monday night, Superior Court Judge Peter A. Thompson refused to throw out Lake’s claim that centered on signature-verification efforts of early ballots in Maricopa County. Thompson says Lake should have the chance to present testimony about whether Arizona’s most populous county properly verified signatures on ballot affidavit envelopes. The trial is scheduled to begin Wednesday.