Republican congressional candidate Dave Williams will appear on Colorado’s June primary ballot without the slogan “Let’s Go Brandon” included as his nickname, the Colorado Supreme Court said Friday in a unanimous order declining to hear an appeal of an earlier, lower court decision.

Williams, a Colorado Springs state representative, has been arguing in court that the phrase – used by some conservatives as code for “F— Joe Biden” – should be printed with his name on ballots because it qualifies as his nickname under state law.

Williams is one of three Republicans challenging eight-term U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn in the One 28 primary in the El Paso County-based 5th Congressional District.

A Denver District Court judge on Wednesday agreed that Williams has adopted the phrase as a nickname but ruled that Secretary of State Jena Griswold properly exercised her authority when she rejected the candidate’s request.

Williams appealed the decision to the state’s high court on Thursday, arguing that Judge Andrew McCallin had let Griswold, a Democrat, invent a rule against printing political slogans on ballots, contrary to Colorado law.

State law allows candidates to appear with their nicknames on ballots so long as the nickname doesn’t include any part of a political party’s name.

In a terse, en banc order issued Friday morning, the high court let McCallin’s ruling stand.

Williams blasted the court’s decision.

“In a time when the credibility of the judiciary is in question because of the scandals it’s embroiled in, you’d think the Colorado Supreme Court would want to at least justify their salaries the taxpayers provide them by actually doing their jobs,” he said in a text message to Colorado Politics. “They are derelict in their duty and it’s clear they want to help their fellow Democrats in violating the rule of law.”

On Wednesday, Williams said state lawmakers “should remove their salaries or move to term them out of office” if the state’s supreme court justices didn’t hear his appeal. 

A spokeswoman for Griswold didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday’s development, but Griswold praised the district court ruling in an earlier statement.

“The court’s decision today affirms that the content of the ballot is not a place for political gamesmanship,” she said. “As secretary of state, I will always protect Colorado voters’ right to accessible elections and that includes a ballot that is fair and transparent. My office will continue to uphold Colorado Election law and safeguard voters’ right to make their voice heard.”

Griswold has until end of day Friday to deliver certified primary ballots – including how candidates’ names will appear – to county clerks. Ballots go in the mail to most Coloradans on June 7, and they must be returned by 7 p.m. on June 28.