Ted Cruz

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to local residents during a fundraising picnic for the Iowa Republican Party last summer. Cruz announced his endorsement of U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, for West Michigan's Third District.

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Grand Rapids businessman Brian Ellis and U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — U.S. Rep. Justin Amash has an endorsement of his own to tout with Tea Party firebrand Ted Cruz.

In a radio ad airing Tuesday, July 15, across West Michigan, Cruz throws support behind Amash, who's working to fend off challenger Brian Ellis in the upcoming Third District GOP primary. Cruz, a first-term Republican Senator from Texas known for filibustering the Affordable Care Act last fall, admires Amash for criticizing the policies of President Barack Obama.

"Washington needs more conservatives with backbone, more conservatives like Justin Amash," said Cruz in the ad. "Justin and I have fought to repeal 'Obamacare,' to defend the right to life and uphold the Constitution against Barack Obama and his cronies."

Amash, in addition to Cruz, is endorsed by conservative organizations Club for Growth and FreedomWorks. Members of West Michigan's wealthy DeVos family also have donated thousands in campaign contributions.

On Monday, Ellis scored the backing of former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, continuing a line of endorsements in recent months.

Poll numbers continue to show a healthy lead for Amash, with one commissioned by the campaign itself showed the incumbent with a 22-point lead. Independent pollsters have found similar results.

The Ellis campaign sent the following statement Tuesday afternoon in response to the endorsement:

"Justin Amash's Washington, D.C., friends may not care, but here in West Michigan, conservatives oppose Justin Amash's votes to close Guantanamo Bay, allow gender selection abortions and let our tax dollars fund America's largest abortion provider. Brian Ellis much prefers the endorsements of Right to Life of Michigan, the Michigan Farm Bureau, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and former West Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra."

Listen to the Amash campaign's radio ad, here:

Andrew Krietz covers breaking, politics and transportation news for MLive | The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at akrietz@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter.