Jeff Crank defeats establishment candidate in Colorado.

Jeff Crank emerged victorious in the highly contested race for the GOP nomination in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, defeating Trump-backed Dave Williams in what was one of the most closely followed primary elections of the day.

On Tuesday, Crank secured the GOP nomination with an impressive 67.9% of the vote, according to the Associated Press.

The battle for the nomination garnered nationwide attention, setting state Republican Party Chair Dave Williams, a former state representative, against conservative activist Jeff Crank.

Williams, who received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, faced controversy in the final days of the race due to his comments on Pride Month shared through social media posts and emails.

In one of his social media posts, Williams stated, “God Hates Pride,” as reported by Colorado Politics.

Following his comments, GOP county members from across the state initiated a movement to remove Williams from his role as Party Chairman. However, those supporting the effort acknowledged that the petition to oust the candidate was largely symbolic.

Running on a platform to the right of Crank, Williams advocated for a conservative agenda and stressed the importance of not compromising with Democrats.

On the other hand, Crank, endorsed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, positioned himself as the more traditional Republican option, pledging continued U.S. support for Ukraine and expressing his willingness to collaborate with Democrats to pass legislation.

Despite neither candidate exceeding the $1 million fundraising mark, with Crank collecting just over $500,000 in contributions compared to Williams’ slightly over $100,000, outside groups mobilized to support Crank in the final stretch. A report by the Colorado Sun earlier in the month revealed that Republican PACs spent over $1 million in efforts to bolster Crank’s campaign.

The retirement of Rep. Doug Lamborn earlier this year set the stage for the heated primary battle, as he announced that he would not seek another term.

Looking ahead, Crank will advance to face the victor of the Democratic primary, where River Gassen will compete against Joe Reagan.

The district, which has consistently been won by a Republican candidate since its establishment in 1973, is expected to remain in GOP hands.