The Republican senator also made clear that his priority was defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the fall. | Getty Colorado Sen. Gardner backs Trump

Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner ended months of speculation Tuesday by announcing his support for Donald Trump's presidential candidacy, bolstering the Republican nominee's pitch in a state where his polling numbers have fallen recently.

The freshman senator, who backed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in the Republican primaries last November, had remained mum on whether he intended to support Trump until now, striking a contrast between himself and congressional Republican leadership.


Speaking at a fundraising event for Republican Senate nominee Darryl Glenn in Colorado Springs, Gardner confirmed that he would be “voting Republican up and down the ticket” come November.

“A Republican president will make the difference, even a Republican president named Donald Trump,” Gardner told a crowd, as first reported by the Colorado Springs Gazette.

The senator also made clear that his priority was defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the fall.

“No good Republican could ever support Hillary Clinton for president,” he said.

The endorsement from the swing-state senator comes as Clinton continues to grow her lead in several key battleground regions, including Colorado, raising questions as to whether the state is still in play for the GOP ticket. Clinton and her allies have scaled back ad spending in the state in a sign of confidence that it will vote blue come fall.

Gardner and Trump had previously sparred over Colorado’s nominating process, engaging in a Twitter feud over Ted Cruz’s primary victory in April.