A MAGA candidate already nationally known for making wild, dubious claims was caught faking an endorsement, according to local reporting.
Colorado GOP nominee Victor Marx went on a conservative radio show on Wednesday and claimed that he had the endorsement of the state's last Republican governor, Bill Owens, according to the Colorado Sun.
Marx won the Republican nomination for governor despite being mocked on national television for bizarre claims, in particular that he was forced to kill a man when he was a child.
When he was pressed on whether he had killed anyone as an adult, he responded, "Does it matter?" which brought him more mockery. Journalists have also had trouble verifying other assertions by Marx, including that he killed ISIS fighters by calling in an airstrike as a civilian and that he rescued thousands of women and children from captivity.
Marx's endorsement claim on Wednesday was quickly fact-checked by the Colorado Sun, which reached out to Owens. The response from Owens was that he hadn't endorsed Marx and only talked to him once.
"I have met/talked with Victor Marx one time, probably four months ago," Owens told the Sun via text. "At that time, I told him I had endorsed and was supporting Barb Kirkmeyer for governor. I also told him I expected to be able to endorse the Republican nominee in the general."
Kirkmeyer is the Republican state senator who nearly edged out Marx for the GOP nomination but ultimately lost the three-way race. The Sun noted that Marx's claim about receiving an endorsement from an established Republican comes as he's trying to unite the GOP.
"I want to see Marx's campaign for the next month or so — what issues he is running on and how he handles himself as a candidate — after which I will make a decision," Owens said.
Marx's campaign manager, Buddy Jericho, told the Sun that Marx "was referring to information he received from a trusted intermediary who has a close personal and professional relationship with Gov. Owens," who has since "clarified" for the campaign that he hasn't made an endorsement.