(CNN) Melissa Howard, a Florida state house candidate, told CNN on Tuesday that she has suspended her campaign.

Howard came under fire after posting a picture of a diploma from Miami University in Ohio, although the school said she did not receive a degree there.

She officially suspended her campaign on Tuesday, although the day before, she had vowed to stay in the race in a Facebook post that has since been taken down.

"I have come to the realization that the right thing to do for my community is to withdraw from the race. I will do so today," Howard said in a statement to CNN affiliate WWSB

Howard, a Republican candidate who sought to represent District 73 in the Florida House of Representatives, vowed to continue serving her community and apologized in the statement.

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