The chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors said Saturday’s ruling against Kari Lake “is a win for Arizona voters and American democracy.”

Supervisor Bill Gates has defended the voting process in Maricopa County ever since the 2020 election when Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in Arizona.

He has been outspoken in that defense against charges from Lake, a Republican who lost the 2022 race for Arizona governor, that the county election system is flawed.

Lake has and continues to challenge the results of the election that Democrat Katie Hobbs won.

“Today’s ruling in Lake v. Hobbs is a win for Arizona voters and American democracy. Plaintiff Lake’s lawsuit was never about well-pled facts and evidence,” said Gates, a Republican. 

“Instead, it was the continuation of a made-for-TV tirade from a candidate who cannot or will not accept the fact that she lost.” 

Shortly after Saturday's ruling, Lake said: "My election case provided the world with evidence that proves our elections are run outside the law.'' She also said she will appeal "for the sake of restoring faith and honesty in our elections.''

Lake, Gates said, asked the court to discard the valid votes of hundreds of thousands of Arizona voters and then order votes that were never cast to be counted.

In his ruling Saturday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson said: “A court setting such a margin aside, as far as the Court is able to determine, has never been done in the history of the United States.”

“Coupled with the recent dismissals of Mark Finchem’s and Abe Hamadeh’s election challenges, and dozens of other rulings since 2020, Arizona courts have made it clear that frivolous political theater meant to undermine elections will not be tolerated,” Gates said.