GOP Senate candidate Tiffany Smiley declines to acknowledge Biden legitimately elected

WASHINGTON – Tiffany Smiley, the Republican nominee for Senate in Washington, declined Sunday to acknowledge President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.

Smiley, a former triage nurse who is challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, steered around the question three times during an interview on CNN's State of the Union. The exchange came just days after Biden pummeled Republicans who support former President Donald Trump's false allegations of election fraud.

"Simple yes or no, do you believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square?" CNN's Dana Bash pressed Smiley.

"Yes, he is our president," Smiley responded.

Bash returned to the question twice during the interview.

"You didn't say that he was legitimately elected. I just want to give you one more chance to say that or – and if you are comfortable with your answer we'll move on," Bash said.

"Yes," Smiley responded. "I think it made it clear. He is our president."

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The back-and-forth underscored the challenge some Republican candidates are facing in this year's pivotal midterm election, as Trump continues to litigate the 2020 election. Many other Republicans are instead eager to instead focus on inflation.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tiffany Smiley, GOP Senate nominee, won't say Biden legitimately won