Holly Williams kicked off her campaign for the El Paso Commission in fine style with a vital endorsement this week.

Sorry, Rep. Dan Nordberg and District Attorney Dan May, I’m talking about the Wayne Williams, Republican royalty in these parts who also happens to be the candidate’s spouse.

She even got an endorsement speech from her oldest son, Sean, at her kickoff event in Colorado Springs Wednesday night, with the Colorado Rockies’ baseball game playing on TVs in the room.

Republican Ann Howe of Monument, a former New Hampshire state representative, also has filed to run in the district in northern El Paso County, which includes the U.S. Air Force Academy, Black Forest and part of Monument.

In Holly Williams’ corner is Wayne Williams, the secretary of state, a former county GOP chairman, county commissioner and county clerk and recorder. He has never lost a race, though four Democrats are vying to take him on next year.

An accomplished local Republican in her own right, Holly Williams is seeking the District 1 commission seat held by Darryl Glenn, who is term-limited. Glenn, the U.S. Senate candidate last year, is taking on incumbent Doug Lamborn in the GOP primary next year.

According to my sources – Colorado Politics was with the governor in Commerce City that night – former El Paso Commissioner Duncan Bremer emceed the event.

Wayne Williams provided a copy of his speech, which, by the way, he sent from his personal e-mail account, not his state account.

Here’s what he said:

Most of you know that Holly Williams is my wife. I love her. And she has been a key supporter of my success and that of our four children. But you should know that Holly is much more than my wife and an awesome mother.

This December, Holly and I will have been married for 31 years – longer than anyone in this room has known us. And longer than some of you here have been alive. So for those who have more recently become our friends, I want to share some of our history together.

As young college students, Holly and I both went to Washington, D.C., to work for Republicans during the Reagan administration. For the record, Holly was hired four months before I was. During our time together in D.C. we dated, became engaged and married in December of 1986. Foreshadowing the future, it was Holly who asked me out first, inviting my apartment over to hers for ice cream.

Over our time together since then, Holly and I both have served as a county Republican party officer. Holly was the first one elected, beating me by eight years.

Holly and I have both been honored to be elected as a delegate or alternate to the Republican National Convention. Holly was elected in 1992 as a 26-year-old mother of three. Holly again was first, again beating me by eight years.

We moved to El Paso County 25 years ago, and Holly was the first to take on a campaign leadership role, serving as Duncan Bremer’s volunteer coordinator for his 1994 county commissioner campaign.

And while pregnant with our youngest child in 1995, Holly again was the first Williams elected to the El Paso County Republican Executive Committee, but this time, she only beat me by two years. Since Holly was so well-known, when I ran two years later, I was known to many Republicans as “Holly’s husband” – a title I love and cherish.

In 1999, Holly was appointed by Gov. Bill Owens to run an El Paso County Office — that of public trustee. She again was first of us to work for the county. It was four years later that I was sworn in as a County Commissioner. And since Holly already had been running a county office for four years, once again, I was introduced as “Holly’s husband.”

Holly continues to be the only Williams who was elected by her peers across the state to head an organization. While I did manage to chair Colorado Counties’ Transportation Steering Committee, Holly was elected president of the Colorado Public Trustees Association.

And while public trustee, Holly ran her office so efficiently that she turned over more money to the county’s General Fund than any prior public trustee in the county’s history.

I also know Holly’s passion for conservative causes and our Republican values. Because for 31 years I’ve felt that passion and commitment.

So for those of you who only have gotten to know us recently, you need to know that Holly Williams will be an awesome county commissioner. Not because she is my wife. But because she has a track record of running government well, of being frugal with your tax dollars, and standing up for conservative values.

Holly and I have been blessed with four wonderful children. And it’s my pleasure to introduce our oldest Sean, who came down from Denver to be with us tonight.