Republican state Senate candidate Patty Ritchie’s spokeswoman says a state judge in Albany has dismissed a suit by her opponent, Democrat incumbent Darrel Aubertine, aimed at removing her Taxpayer Party line on the November election ballot.

Calling it a “desperate attempt,” Ritchie Campaign Manager Lisa Smithers said that the 48th District senator “and his Albany lawyers tried every trick to deny independent voters their choice on November 2nd, including a last-ditch appeal to the judge that might have delayed next week’s certification of the ballot, with the potential for chaos at the polls, and additional, unnecessary cost to taxpayers.”

Just a week ago the state Board of Elections rejected Aubertine’s challenge to Ritchie’s Taxpayer Party nominating petition.

Ritchie, the current St. Lawrence County Clerk, will have her name on the Republican, Conservative, and Taxpayer Party lines.