A federal judge allowed a key part of a racial discrimination lawsuit which hobbled the Georgia Republican Party to move forward, ruling that a former employee, who claims that she was improperly fired after she complained can go to trial.

On Tuesday, the U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell’s order clears the way for a jury trial in the long-running case involving Qiana Keith, a former GOP staffer who sought punitive damages against the state party. The 2014 lawsuit has been an embarrassment for the state GOP, which has struggled to attract the donors amid mounting legal bills.

In the 2014 lawsuit, Keith said that she overheard co-workers refer to her with a racial slur and also humiliate her while she was working as an executive assistant to the GOP chair John Padgett. She contended that she was fired after complaining about her co-workers’ behavior.

Pannell’s order found that there was not enough evidence for a jury to conclude Padgett created an actionable hostile work environment or prove that he was racially motivated when he fired Keith.

But the Judge order found there was enough evidence to let a second claim go that she was improperly fired after she complained about her treatment in the office. The judge found enough evidence to let the complaint stand, as the Georgia GOP’s gave shifting reasons for her firing.

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Keith attorney Kimberly Worth declined to comment, and also the Georgia GOP did not immediately respond to the requests seeking comment.

Keith’s complaint and also other legal problems have complicated the Georgia GOP’s fundraising ability. The recently-filed campaign finance reports show that some donors have said that they refuse to help fund the party’s legal bills.

The party’s finances have dominated the debate to replace Padgett, who is not seeking another two-year term in the June. Top four contenders for the seat pledge to raise significant cash to revive the party’s financial health.

Mrudula Duddempudi.