ST. PAUL — A federal judge is allowing Jesse Ventura’s defamation lawsuit to go forward against an ex-Navy SEAL sniper who says he punched the former Minnesota governor.

U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle Thursday refused to dismiss most of the claims in Ventura’s suit against author Chris Kyle.

Chris Kyle had asked that Ventura’s claims of invasion of privacy and “unjust enrichment” be dismissed, saying there was no legal basis for them.

But the judge said the lawsuit should proceed as is.

Ventura, a former SEAL himself, said a claim in Kyle’s memoir “American Sniper” about decking him in a 2006 bar fight over unpatriotic remarks defamed him. Ventura said the punch never happened.