Americans for Prosperity Action, the deep-pocketed political arm of billionaire Charles Koch’s conservative advocacy network, on Thursday announced it’s throwing its support behind Republican Jeff Crank in the crowded GOP primary for the seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn.

Calling Crank – a podcaster and political consultant who previously served as state director of Americans for Prosperity’s Colorado branch – a “conservative patriot,” a spokesman for AFP Action said in a release that the group “intends to put the full weight of our grassroots capabilities behind Crank’s candidacy to ensure he’s elected to the House of Representatives come November.”

Crank is one of six Republican candidates seeking the nomination in the GOP-leaning 5th Congressional District, whose boundaries nearly coincide with El Paso County.

“Crank has always put people ahead of politics and has been a relentless advocate for Colorado taxpayers,” said said Jesse Mallory, a senior advisor to AFP Action and state director of AFP-Colorado.

“He understands that Coloradans are sick and tired of economic uncertainty and rising inflation and has the experience and depth of knowledge to enact substantive policy change in Washington, DC.”

Crank’s primary rivals pilloried the endorsement in statements and interviews with Colorado Politics, with some suggesting that aligning with a leading anti-Trump organization isn’t a smart move.

Last year, AFP Action, a super PAC affiliated with the network founded by billionaire brothers Charles and the late David Koch, vowed to spend big to block former President Donald Trump from winning the Republican presidential nomination. In November, the group formally endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the GOP primary and has spent millions backing her.

AFP Action reported raising $96.6 million through Jan. 31 for the 2024 election cycle and finished the month with $41.7 million cash on hand, according to Open Secrets. While the group has spent upwards of $200,000 apiece to support Republican candidates in a handful of House primaries, the bulk of its independent expenditures so far this cycle has been devoted to the GOP presidential primary race, with $31.2 million spent to support Haley and $9.6 million opposing Trump.

The group spent nearly $80 million in the 2022 election cycle, according to Open Secrets. That total included more than $1 million supporting state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, the Republican nominee in Colorado’s competitive 8th Congressional District, who lost a close race to Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo.

AFP Action said last year that it planned to get involved earlier and in more primaries than it has in previous cycles.

The group announced endorsements in two other Colorado congressional races last week, backing Republican Jeff Hurd in the 3rd Congressional District and state Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Fort Lupton, in the 8th CD. Both face crowded primaries.

A senior campaign advisor told Colorado Politics that Crank is “grateful for the support from AFP Action.”

“They know that Jeff Crank will fight for conservative values in DC,” the Crank advisor said in a text message. “Jeff has already been endorsed by dozens of local elected officials, potential rivals, and 18 retired general military officers. We welcome the support from everyone seeking to elect a strong conservative who will secure our borders and rein in reckless spending. Many more endorsements to come.”

The other Republicans in the primary are state Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs; Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams, a former state lawmaker; former state Rep. Douglas Bruce, the author of Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights; and first-time candidates Joshua Griffin and Cory Parella.

Williams, an ardent Trump supporter, denounced Crank and the organization that endorsed his primary opponent.

“Jeff Crank is an anti-Trump, open border stooge for AFP and will oppose President Trump every chance he gets,” Williams said in a text message. “I look forward to working with President Trump as we fight for the conservative, America-First values of the 5th Congressional District.”

Gardner told Colorado Politics that AFP Action’s endorsement was no surprise, since members of Crank’s inner circle have been boasting for some time that their candidate was counting on backing from the Koch network of donors.

“This has been fully expected by me and my campaign for several weeks now,” Gardner said. “Shortly after Congressman Lamborn announced he was not running for reelection, Jeff Crank began telling people that he would have the full support of AFP. That’s not surprising. Jeff Crank has been supported for nearly 20 years now by the Koch network, waiting for the opportunity to run him for Congress in support of their agenda of open borders and letting felons out of jail. We’re running a campaign on border security and public safety, as well as a strong economy, so we’re going to press ahead and tell voters who we are as a candidate and what we intend to bring to the Congress of the United States.”

Added Gardner: “I’m my own man, and I intend to do my very best to represent the 5th Congressional District. I will not be beholden to any network of billionaires or anyone else in support of the people of the 5th Congressional District.”

In an email, Bruce told Colorado Politics that Crank’s and AFP’s views, including support for Haley over Trump, “are not representative of Colorado GOP voters.”

“I am not now, nor have I ever been, the candidate of billionaires,” Bruce said. “I am loyal to the taxpayers, whose Bill of Rights I wrote. TABOR has been a success for 31 years, despite consistent and irrational hatred by RINOs and Dems.”

Asserting that Colorado taxpayers “appreciate” their $1,600 TABOR refunds, Bruce added: “To those who control Mr. Crank, $1,600 may be just a tip in a posh restaurant. It is real tax relief to average citizens. Is it a surprise that AFP would buy one of its employees a seat in Congress? It is not illegal, just predictably disappointing.”

Griffin, an Army veteran, waved off news of Crank’s backers in a text message, saying that as a “warrior of this great country,” he doesn’t scare, “especially by endorsements form a special interest group.”

El Paso County Democratic Party chair Mischa Smith said in a text message that AFP Action’s endorsement “underscores a significant divide within the Colorado GOP,” describing Crank and Williams as emblematic of the Republicans’ factions.

“This scenario highlights not just a disconnect with the evolving political climate but also a refusal to adapt to the demands of a more diverse and progressive electorate,” Smith said, adding that the county’s Democrats are “poised to address the real issues facing constituents.”

Six Democrats and a handful of third-party and unaffiliated candidates are also running in the 5th CD, which has only sent Republicans to Washington in the five decades since it was created.

El Paso County Republicans have scheduled the party’s precinct caucuses for March 7. The congressional primary is June 25.