Lake Won't Concede Ariz. Gov. Race, Enlists Legal Support

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Facts

  • Kari Lake, the Republican nominee in last week’s Arizona gubernatorial election, vowed in a short video Thursday to challenge the official results of her loss to Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. She alleged that problems with voting machines led to long lines that disenfranchised significant numbers of voters.
  • Lake, endorsed by Trump, discussed his controversial election claims as a major part of her campaign. She said in her video: “For two years I have been sounding the alarm about our election system in Arizona...Our election officials failed us miserably. What happened to Arizonans on election day is unforgivable.”
  • Lake also said she has hired the “best and brightest legal team” to take action to question the legitimacy of her defeat. Polls had shown her with a lead heading into the Nov. 8 election.
  • Although there were equipment malfunctions at several polling places in Maricopa County, voters were still able to cast their votes. A Republican lawsuit to extend voting hours was rejected by a county judge on the grounds that there was no evidence voters were being disenfranchised.
  • Lake also repeated her call for Hobbs to recuse herself from the election process. But even as Secretary of State, Hobbs is not responsible for counting ballots.

Sources: New York Times, Daily Mail, Guardian, and FOX News.

Narratives

  • Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by PJ Media. If Lake believes there was questionable action that led to her defeat, then she should exercise every avenue in her power. And if her top-notch legal team is willing to pursue this challenge, there must be something there. At the very least, Lake could shed light on an election system in Maricopa County that must be reformed.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by The Independent. Lake didn’t lose because of problems with the election, she lost because she was a problematic candidate. She tried to sell Trumpism to the Arizona electorate. However, even in a year when the GOP did well in other races, Trumpism — with its election denial and absurd bashing of beloved Republican John McCain — was once again rejected.
  • Democratic narrative, as provided by AlterNet. How hypocritical is it that Lake is bemoaning the conditions voters had to endure? Where was she when Black and other minority communities were calling for national minimum standards for how elections should be conducted? She was silent and stood alongside the mostly white, mostly GOP politicians that claimed the election system was fine. It's time for her to leave the political scene completely.