Maria Garcia, wife of the late Democratic leader Jorge Garcia, was among three Tucson residents who were nominated Oct. 26 to replace the senator.

Eleven write-in candidates won the Green Party nomination in August, including a handful of “street people” who exploited a little-known loophole that allowed them to win the primary with only one vote. Now, some of those candidates, whom Democrats allege were recruited by Republicans, threaten to take votes from Democrats in key races.

A federal judge ruled that a slate of alleged "sham" Green Party write-in candidates can stay on the ballot.

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The case of eleven Green Party Candidates allegedly recruited by Republicans will go before a judge on Thursday.

A slate of Green Party write-in candidates, whom the Arizona Democratic Party accuses of being Republican plants, could siphon off Democratic votes and resources in some of the state’s most competitive legislative races.

Campaigning as a write-in candidate is much like starting a marathon a couple of hours after all of the other runners — you can win, but only if you’ve got strong legs, a solid support team and a whole lot of luck.