Despite mounting pressure from both the GOP establishment and Tea Party groups to get out of the governor’s race, Republican Dan Maes continued to dig in his heels Thursday, saying he wasn’t going anywhere.

“This is a culture war, a culture war between the people and the machine and we’re going to find out who controls things,” Maes said. “I am not getting out of the race.”

A Denver Post story earlier this week reporting Maes embellished details about his law enforcement background combined with Friday’s deadline for certification of the general election ballot prompted a string of defections. Soon after the story was published, Hank Brown, a former U.S. senator and former University of Colorado president, withdrew his endorsement, setting off a domino effect not only among prominent Republicans, but Maes’ core, grassroots base.

Tea Party leaders across the state today said in often harsh terms that they wanted Maes to drop out. Lesley Hollywood, director of the Northern Colorado Tea Party, posted on Facebook: “Alright Dan Maes – it’s time for you to go. Get out now, while the gettin’ is still good.”

Mesa County Commissioner and Tea Party organizer Janet Rowland called Maes a “fraud” in an email sent to thousands of grassroots supporters and asked them not to support his candidacy. Hear Us Now!, which bills itself as the original tax day tea party group, also rescinded its endorsement.

Connie Bierkan, co-coordinator of the Evergreen/Conifer Tea Party in Maes’ home turf, said the liberty movement “has created a monster.”

Jennifer Bailey, president of the Western Slope Conservative Alliance was an early supporter of Maes and hosted events for him. On Thursday she called him “disappointing.”

“That’s the reason the grassroots got going, because we don’t make excuses for someone,” Bailey said. “I wish we weren’t screwing around with all this.”

Part of Maes’ problem, says Nikki Mata, co-founder of the grassroots liberty group R Block Party, is that he’s “top of the ticket and he affects every other race in the state.”

Mata said she’s “tried really hard to continue to support him, but it’s become increasingly difficult.”

“We’ve spent a lot of time turning attention to statehouse candidates, but this whole mess has just sucked all of the attention and the energy away from the great candidates,” she said. “The whole situation has become so convoluted.”

Maes met with 9.12 members this afternoon in Denver. His spokesman Nate Strauch called the meeting “productive.” But chapter leaders, many of whom were early Maes supporters, left the meeting without a statement of support.

The group’s leader, Lu Busse, said they were going to get a message out to the 27 chapters and weigh in as early as today about whether they were going to stand behind Maes, though the group does not do formal endorsements.

That the Tea Party has withdrawn support from Maes — he won on their backs in both the May state Republican Assembly and the Aug. 10 primary — is a stunning loss for the GOP gubernatorial hopeful.

“He has nobody left,” said state GOP Chair Dick Wadhams.

But Maes remained defiant on his Facebook page.

“We are in the 4th quarter of the game and we must dig deeper than ever into our souls to find the strength to fight to… the end. Do not waiver. Do not quit. This is all part of the journey,” he wrote.

The list of others calling on Maes to withdraw has grown to include state Senate President John Andrews and businessman and beer scion Pete Coors, both of whom endorsed him, as well as Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, prominent conservative blogger Erick Erickson, who said it’s time for Maes to “disappear,” and the editorial boards of both the Colorado Springs Gazette and The Post.

Former U.S. Senator Wayne Allard, who also endorsed Maes, could not be reached for the second day in a row.

Other prominent Republicans who endorsed Maes include former treasurer and national committeeman Mark Hillman, who did not return calls today.

U.S. Sen. candidate Ken Buck said Wednesday he “absolutely supports” Maes. He told the Denver Post today he would issue another statement, but then declined to do so.

Maes continued attending campaign events, appearing earlier today at a gubernatorial debate. By late afternoon, Maes had stopped returning multiple phone calls from state Republicans beseeching him to call them back — including Hillman and Buck, sources said.

Strauch said that Maes would be in private meetings most of Friday.

Denver Post staff writer Lynn Bartels contributed to this report.

Karen Crummy: 303-954-1594 or kcrummy@denverpost.com