Former GOP Senator Heller, now running for Nevada governor, believes Biden is illegitimate president

Former GOP Sen. Dean Heller, who is now running to become Nevada governor is now making clear he thinks Democrat Joe Biden is an illegitimate president.

Heller has until last week dodged questions about the legitimacy of Biden's presidency. But he reportedly said last week that he thinks Biden is an illegitimate president.

When his a campaign was asked about the comment, a staffer told the Nevada Independent news: "Dean said that 71% of Republicans in Nevada believe Biden is an illegitimate president and that he is part of that 71%."

The position that Biden is an illegitimate president is based the argument that widespread voting fraud in the 2020 presidential election resulted in Republican President Donald Trump losing reelection.

Biden won Nevada 50.1% to 47.4%, giving him all six Electoral College votes and extending Democrats' winning-streak to four for presidential elections in that state. Trump narrowly lost Nevada in 2016. 

During a short speech Tuesday at a Nevada Republican Club meeting also commented on the political parties's focus on election legitimacy. 

"This game you guys are playing is just going to go on and on, and if you have a president of the United States today that says, 'I can’t tell you whether or not the '22 election is going to be legitimate,' don’t hang this around Republican necks," he said

Heller is polling behind Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo in the GOP primary for the Nevada governorship with roughly 35% of those polled still undecided.

"I don't care at this point," Heller said about the polling. "It's just, work, get out there and do the work and we'll reach Election Day."

Heller served in the House from 2007 until 2011, when he was appointed to the Senate by then-GOP Nevada Sen. Gov. Brian Sandoval. Heller won his seat during a regular election in 2012 but lost in 2018 to Democrat Jacky Rosen.