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MN Secretary of State candidate Kim Crockett gives vague answer on accepting election results

Republican Kim Crockett says she will "uphold the constitution," but in a debate, side-stepped the direct question of whether she will accept the election results.

MINNEAPOLIS — We're now six weeks out from election day, and a "non-answer" by one of the candidates during a WCCO Radio debate has a lot of people talking.

Republican Kim Crockett is challenging Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon in the race with the slogan, "Restore everyone's confidence in elections."

But on Sunday night, she wouldn't say whether she will accept the election results.

Crockett's platform revolves around election reforms such as voter ID, and returning an emphasis to in-person voting instead of voting by mail.

In a campaign email, she referred to the 2020 election as "rigged."

So, during a one-hour debate with Simon on WCCO radio, moderator Blois Olson asked Crockett: 

"Kim Crockett, are you confident in the administration of the 2022 election, and will you accept the results?"

Crockett responded at first by pointing out she's running for Secretary of State because she feels election administration could use some improvement. 

Then, she asked: "Will I? I think that's kind of an odd question. We aren't there yet. We are weeks out. And we will just have to see what happens between now and the certification of the election."

When asked whether he perceived it as refusing to commit to accepting the results, moderator Olson said, "I did, but like many people in politics, she used a lot of words to say, 'I'm not going to commit,' or, 'Let's wait and see when the election is certified.'"

In a Facebook video after the debate, Crockett said Democrats are hypocritical because they don't want to accept that Donald Trump was victorious in 2016.

"And they ask you stupid questions like, 'Are you going to accept the results of the election?'" Crockett said.

On Monday, she sent an audio statement to KARE 11 that said in part: 

"I am a lawyer, sworn to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. I promise to do that as a candidate and, should I win on Nov. 8, as the next Secretary of State for Minnesota."

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