Republican Jeff Crank became the first candidate to qualify for the primary ballot in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District after turning in a sufficient number of petition signatures, state election officials said Monday.

Crank, a podcaster and executive with the Koch network-backed Americans for Prosperity organization, is one of five Republicans seeking the nomination in the GOP-leaning district, whose boundaries nearly coincide with El Paso County. The seat is currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, who announced in January that he wouldn’t seek a 10th term in Congress.

According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, 2,839 of the 3,887 signatures submitted by Crank were deemed valid – well over the 1,500 signatures from fellow party members required for Colorado congressional candidates to make the June 25 primary ballot.

“It is my honor to have such strong support in our district for our campaign to secure our border and fix Joe Biden’s failed economy,” said Crank in a statement. “We had a remarkable army of volunteers circulating petitions for weeks. Without them, we would not be on the ballot, and I am grateful to everyone who lent their support and time to this effort.”

One of Crank’s primary rivals, state Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, turned in signatures on Tuesday, the deadline to submit nominating petitions.

“We’re confident we have well in excess of the necessary 1,500 signatures,” Gardner told Colorado Politics. “So, it’s game on.”

The Secretary of State’s Office has until late April to determine whether petitioning candidates qualify for the primary.

Three other Republicans are bypassing the petition route and instead hope to win a spot in the primary at the GOP’s congressional district assembly on Saturday in Colorado Springs, where they’ll need the support of at least 30% of delegates to get on the ballot.

The candidates vying for delegate support are Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams, a former state lawmaker; former state Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs, the author of the state’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights; and, Army veteran and first-time candidate Joshua Griffin.

As usual, a spokesman for Williams tore into Crank after learning his rival had qualified for the primary.

“The fact that lobbyist and open border candidate Jeff Crank is publicly bragging how he bypassed grassroots Republicans at convention by paying for petition signatures only shows how out of touch Crank is with everyday Republicans, and it’s no wonder why President Trump endorsed Dave Williams,” Chris McIntyre, communications director for Williams’ campaign, said in a text message.

Last week, Trump formally endorsed Williams on the same day House Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed Crank, who has also won endorsements from other leading House Republicans, including Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota and House Armed Service Committee Chairman Mike Rogers of Alabama.

Crank’s campaign spokesman told Colorado Politics that his candidate had yet to decide whether to go through the assembly, contrary to the Williams campaign’s contention. If he does, Crank would only need to clear 10% support from delegates to retain the place he’s already secured on the ballot.

“Jeff is still weighing his options. He is grateful to have such strong grassroots support for his campaign to secure our border and fix Joe Biden’s failed economy,” the Crank campaign advisor said in a text message.

Williams and Crank have both run previously for the congressional seat but lost each time to Lamborn in the Republican primary – Williams in 2022, and Crank in 2006 and 2008.

Six Democrats and a handful of third-party and unaffiliated candidates are also running in the district, which has been held by Republicans since its creation in the early 1970s.