In what should come as no surprise to anyone, a judge on Saturday ruled that Kari Lake had not been stripped of her right to become Arizona’s next governor.
“This Court recognizes the anger and frustration of voters who suffered discomfort and confusion in voter centers when technical difficulties arose during the 2022 general election,” Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson wrote. “But it is not only the task of this Court to respond to public outcry. It is to submit the plaintiff’s claims and the defendants’ actions to the light of the courtroom and scrutiny of the law.”
Naturally, Lake reacted to the loss with her trademark refusal to accept reality.
“My election case has provided the world with evidence that proves our elections are outside the law,” she tweeted. “This court has not ruled in our favor. However, to restore trust and fairness in our elections, I will appeal his ruling.”
Or put another way, to build a hopeful political future — one that requires her to keep her supporters in a state of perpetual anger.
Here in the real world, Judge Thompson did everything he could to allow Lake her day in court.
Two days, in fact, during which the judge gave her every opportunity to prove that a Maricopa County election official deliberately rigged the November 8 election, and Lake lost to Governor-elect Katie Hobbs as a result.
Instead, Lake presented a parade of witnesses who put forward opinions, speculation and a considerable amount of wishful thinking to try and convince the judge that the Republican nominee was the victim of a diabolical plot by the Republican-led county.
But what is that old saying? Don’t wish to make it that way.
In his 10-page ruling, the judge removed the testimony of each of her witnesses…
…From the partisan pollster who testified that his exit poll showed she should have won…. to the cyber expert who claimed that the county shrunk the ballots so they couldn’t be counted before admitting that those ballots would still have been counted.
“It is worth noting that the election officials themselves have been testified by both the plaintiff’s and defendants’ witnesses to be committed to performing their roles with integrity,” Thompson wrote. “Not perfect, as no system on this earth is perfect, but more than enough to pass the law and conduct valid elections.”
More than enough to comply with the law.
Since it’s Christmas, it seems like a good time for Kari Lake to offer the state of Arizona a gift.
After 46 days of condemning her loss and defaming the state’s election officials, Lake would have to muster the grace to accept the judge’s verdict and admit the governor’s race.
I don’t expect Lake Hobbs to wish the best, but at least she could acknowledge that Arizona has spoken.
Oh I know. The odds of that are somewhere between none and what-the-heck-is-in-that-eggnog-you-drink.
Yet it is the season of miracles.
Peace on earth and good will, even to those who defeat us.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Lost Kari Lake. Now it’s time for her to present a gift to Arizona
