TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is attacking a key argument made by the Democratic candidate waging a legal battle to get his name removed from the ballot in the U.S. Senate race.

Kobach on Thursday released an affidavit from Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Brad Bryant contradicting a sworn statement from Democrat Chad Taylor.

Kobach provided a copy of Bryant’s statement exclusively to The Associated Press before posting it online and said it would be key evidence.

Taylor submitted his statement to the Kansas Supreme Court in petitioning it to force Kobach to remove his name from the ballot.

Taylor said Bryant assured him that a withdrawal letter Taylor wrote was sufficient to get his name off the ballot. In his statement, Bryant said he never did so.