Marine veteran Victor Marx, whose extreme personal claims drew national scrutiny, wins Colorado GOP governor primary

Victor Marx, a first-time candidate and self-described 'high-risk humanitarian,' has won the Republican nomination for Colorado governor, according to CNN projections and the Associated Press. The race was decided by a razor-thin margin of less than one percentage point over state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer, with the AP calling the contest nearly nine days after polls closed.

Marx, a Marine veteran and ministry leader, ran an unorthodox campaign that drew intense scrutiny over his personal history. During an interview with veteran journalist Kyle Clark, Marx described himself and was characterized as a 'cross between Rambo and Billy Graham,' according to Raw Story.

Raw StoryMAGA Republican who claimed to have killed people as a child wins Colorado GOP primary

The candidate’s claims have attracted widespread skepticism. One of the most startling assertions, reported by keyt.com citing CNN, is that Marx said he was forced to kill a man at age 7 by his stepfather. He also claimed to have called in an airstrike as a civilian that killed 70 ISIS fighters and described himself as a 'high-risk missionary' who has killed others.

keyt.comVictor Marx, a self-described ‘high-risk humanitarian,’ will win GOP nomination for Colorado governor, CNN projects

"cross between Rambo and Billy Graham"

When Clark pressed Marx on how many people he had killed, the candidate retorted, though the exact response was not detailed in available reporting. Marx's victory over the more establishment-aligned Kirkmeyer represents a win for a candidate whose background has been described as a mix of missionary work and violent exploits.

Marx will face the Democratic nominee in the general election this November, setting up a contest that will likely continue to feature his controversial history as a central issue.