A Florida State House candidate admitted on Monday that she lied about having graduated from college, just days after she tried to refute the accusation by posting a photo posing with what appeared to be her diploma, according to news reports.

The candidate, Melissa Howard, who is running in a Republican primary for the 73rd District in the State House of Representatives, apologized on Monday, but declined to drop out of the race, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.

“I would like to apologize to my family and my supporters for this situation,” Ms. Howard said in a statement, according to the newspaper. “It was not my intent to deceive or mislead anyone. I made a mistake in saying that I completed my degree. What I did was wrong and set a bad example for someone seeking public service. I am staying in the race and intend to win and lead by example from now on.”

She had been facing calls to end her campaign after Miami University of Ohio said she had not graduated, as she had claimed on her campaign website.