Kari Lake is urging the Arizona Supreme Court to declare her governor, two years after her defeat in the 2022 gubernatorial election.

Lake, who continues to campaign for the state’s open Senate seat, has cited alleged election integrity issues as the basis for her request, as the Washington Examiner reports.

Currently a strong contender for the Republican nomination for Senate, Lake’s latest move has added fresh complications to her ongoing political career. On Thursday, attorneys Kurt Olsen and Jennifer Wright filed a petition for review on her behalf, marking a significant escalation in her legal battles.

Lake Claims Evidence of Voting Malpractice

The petition filed by Lake alleges that the Superior Court and Court of Appeals should have revived her case in light of new evidence. According to her legal team, this new data supposedly reveals that Maricopa County did not conduct necessary logic and accuracy tests on its vote tabulators during the 2022 election.

Lake's petition also claims that Maricopa County failed to adequately verify signatures on mail-in ballots. As part of her legal efforts, Lake requested either a new gubernatorial election or the "proportional striking" of 275,000 ballots.

Kari Lake's Legal Arguments

In her petition, Lake contends, "Because [Katie] Hobbs eclipsed Lake by more than 10% of Maricopa’s early voting, under Grounds, Lake would win." This assertion forms the cornerstone of her argument, suggesting that election irregularities favored the current governor.

Issues surrounding Maricopa County's election processes have been a recurring theme in Lake’s challenges. Her allegations have sparked extensive legal debates and have become a significant part of her political persona.

Legal Complications for Lake

Lake’s continuous legal challenges have not been without setbacks. She is currently embroiled in a defamation lawsuit filed by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer. This lawsuit has added another layer of legal entanglement to her political activities.

In March, Lake made the strategic choice to forfeit her ability to defend against the defamation lawsuit. Instead, she has asked the court to decide on the damages. She justified her move by claiming she was a victim of "lawfare," a term used to describe the strategic use of legal systems to undermine a political adversary.

Potential Impact on Senate Race

If Lake’s challenge to the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election succeeds, it is expected to further complicate the ongoing Senate race. Lake is currently a favored nominee among Republican voters, and any judicial decision in her favor could shift the political landscape significantly.

Her assertions that the 2022 gubernatorial race was "stolen" have kept the issue alive in public discourse, potentially influencing voter sentiment ahead of the Senate elections.

Long-standing Election Disputes

Kari Lake's insistence on revisiting the 2022 election underscores a broader narrative of election integrity that has become a hallmark of her political campaigns. Her petition to the Arizona Supreme Court is the latest chapter in a series of legal maneuvers aimed at questioning and potentially overturning the election results.

The new evidence she presents is aimed at discrediting the procedures followed by Maricopa County during the 2022 election, an allegation that has remained central to her claims.

Deferred Defense in Defamation Suit

Lake's decision to forfeit her defense in the defamation lawsuit has raised questions about her legal strategy. By requesting the court to determine the damages, she has positioned herself as a politically targeted figure rather than engaging in a protracted legal battle.

This approach suggests that Lake may be attempting to avoid the costs and distractions associated with defending against the defamation claims, while maintaining her focus on the broader election integrity issues.

Petition Seeks Specific Remedies

Lake’s petition is explicit in its demands, seeking either a fresh gubernatorial election or the proportional dismissal of a significant number of ballots. These remedies, if granted, would undoubtedly have far-reaching implications, not only for the current administration but also for the integrity of the electoral process in Arizona.

Her legal team's insistence on revisiting the election procedures of Maricopa County reflects a broader challenge to the mechanisms of election oversight and management in the state.

Continued Political Ambitions Amid Legal Challenges

Despite her ongoing legal battles, Lake’s political ambitions remain unshaken. Her aspirations for a Senate seat indicate her determination to remain a central figure in Arizona’s political arena.

The outcome of her petition to the Arizona Supreme Court will be crucial in determining her future political trajectory, as well as the broader landscape of election integrity debates in the state.