Republican Dave Williams touts former President Donald Trump’s endorsement this week in the first TV ad of his primary campaign for the congressional seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn.

Williams, a former state lawmaker from Colorado Springs, also highlights his position as head of the Colorado GOP in the 30-second ad. He’s facing Jeff Crank, a former talk radio host and executive with Americans for Prosperity, in the Republicans’ June 25 primary in the El Paso County-based 5th Congressional District.

A spokesman for Williams’ campaign declined to release details about the ad’s run, but an advertising representative who works with other Colorado campaigns said records show Williams is spending less than $10,000 to air the ad on cable for 10 days.

“The radical left is waging war on America,” the ad’s narrator says over a grainy photo collage featuring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “But Colorado conservative Dave Williams is fighting back.”

“As chairman of the Colorado Republican Party,” the ad’s narrator continues, “Dave is working to secure our border, safeguard the unborn, defend our Second Amendment rights, defeat the radical left destroying our nation and put America first. That’s why President Trump endorses Dave Williams.”

Trump gave Williams his “Complete and Total Endorsement!” last month in a Truth Social post that also bashed Crank’s association with Americans for Prosperity, whose political arm is backing Crank in the primary.

“Dave Williams is a fantastic man and a great friend of mine, and we are with you all the way,” Trump says in a video clip in Williams’ TV ad.

Williams has come under fire from fellow Republicans for keeping his job as state GOP chairman while running in a contested primary, as well as for spending state Party funds to promote his campaign and attack his opponent. Last week, the Teller County Republican Party called on Williams to resign for “numerous conflicts of interest and unethical conduct.”

A senior advisor to Crank’s campaign dismissed Williams’ ad in a statement to Colorado Politics.

“This teeny tiny ad buy would be laughable if it wasn’t so sad,” the Crank advisor said. “We look forward to voters learning more about how Dave has profited from importing cheap Chinese plastic and his attempts to divert traffic fines from funding local Colorado police and instead funding pro-Black Lives Matter groups.”

Last month, a newly formed political action committee called Restoring Standards PAC launched digital ads that linked to a TV news report about Williams’ past work as a registered agent and executive at a company that imported merchandise from China.

The Crank advisor was also referring to legislation Williams sponsored in the General Assembly in 2021 and 2022 that would have allowed anyone receiving a minor traffic ticket resulting from a red-light camera to pay their fine to qualified nonprofits.

Two years ago, when Williams mounted an unsuccessful challenge to Lamborn in the GOP primary, Lamborn made a similar accusation in a TV ad. Williams angrily denounced the ad’s claims and filed a criminal complaint against Lamborn, alleging the incumbent’s campaign violated a state law that prohibits circulating false information intended to influence an election. Local prosecutors eventually declined to pursue charges.

Democrats River Gassen, a scientist and astronomy teacher, and Joe Reagan, an Army veteran and veteran’s advocate, are running in their party’s primary in the district.

Voters are scheduled to start receiving primary ballots in the mail in early June. They’re due back to county clerks by June 25.