Republican congressional candidate Steve House marked Veterans Day by announcing he’s been endorsed by five Coloradans with records of military service and four Republican state lawmakers with more tenuous connections to veterans.

The endorsements listed in a release issued Monday by House’s campaign include an oral surgeon who serves in the Army National Guard, a prosecutor who serves in the Marine Reserves, a Marine Corps veteran who chaired the El Paso County Republicans, and a retired Army officer who lost a primary for Elbert County commissioner last year by just two votes.

There’s also a state lawmaker from Colorado Springs who went to the Air Force Academy and two Republicans who sit on their chamber’s respective State, Veterans and Military Affairs committees – known as the “kill committees,” where legislation of all sorts routinely goes to die – and two GOP lawmakers from Western Colorado who look out for veterans while they’re at the Capitol, according to the House campaign.

House, a former chairman of the Colorado GOP, is one of three Republicans running in a primary for the chance to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a decorated Army combat veteran serving his first term representing the Aurora-based 6th Congressional District.

“I, and those listed here believe that our military and their families represent the very best of our nation’s character and patriotism. Every day, with every action and intention, they preserve our security to keep our country free from threats of harm and terror,” House said in a release issued Monday by his campaign.

House went on to pledge that the first bill he’ll introduce in Congress will “address ways to significantly lower healthcare costs for our military veterans.” and contrasts his approach to Crow, whose only veterans-related bill is a resolution he introduced this month “supporting the goals and ideals of National Veterans Small Business Week.”

Crow, an Army and Army Ranger veteran, served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded a Bronze Star. After leaving the military, he was a member of the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs and chaired the veterans’ committee that secured the VA hospital for Aurora. He also received the United Veterans Committee’s Outstanding Service Award.

On Monday, Crow and Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin introduced legislation to secure space on the National Mall for the long-awaited Global War on Terrorism Memorial.

House, an engineer and salesman who has worked in the health care field for decades, said in a statement: “Our veterans can’t wait online for bureaucrats; they need innovative bold solutions that will fundamentally change the quality of their lives, the lives of their children and positively impact communities across America. This kind of inventive disruption of norms requires government to partner with the private and nonprofit sector to provide veterans and their families the level of care they deserve.”

House’s endorsers announced on Veterans Day include Dr. Julia Plevnia, a certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a captain in the Army National Guard; John Kellner, a prosecutor in the 18th Judicial District and a Marine reservist; Josh Hosler, the former El Paso County GOP chairman; and Anthony Hartsook, the retired Army lieutenant colonel who lost a 2018 bid to be the Republican nominee for Elbert County commissioner in one of the closest Colorado races in memory.

The legislators backing House include state Sen. Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs, a graduate of the Air Force Academy; state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, and state Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction, members of the Senate and House State Affairs committees, respectively; and state Sen. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, and state Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta.