(COLORADO SPRINGS) — El Paso County’s District 10 Senator is now set to go up against an opponent with a familiar face in the upcoming GOP primary. The candidates’ past history, which is now bleeding into the upcoming race, could set up for a contentious battle for the seat.

Earlier this week, Rex Tonkins officially filed to challenge incumbent Sen. Larry Liston, who is seeking re-election for a second term this year. Tonkins, a long-time resident of El Paso County, steps into the political arena for the first time, driven by what he describes as a “sincere urgency.”

Their past conflicts, which stem from a series of events that unfolded over the past two years, are part of the reason why Tonkins says he chose to run.

Last year, the Colorado GOP censured Sen. Liston for allegedly abusing his power to reopen an investigation into Tonkins. The investigation centered around criminal charges brought against Tonkins for purportedly chest-bumping Sen. Liston during a contentious meeting in 2021. Tonkins underwent a jury trial and was ultimately found not guilty last summer.

“I was able to come through this with a victory, but how many others have been crushed by the system because of people who have roles in leadership and abuse those roles?” Tonkins asked, emphasizing the toll the two-year legal battle took on him. “Because of the circumstances that I experienced, I began to see that I cannot ignore what I’ve seen for many years, and I need to get involved.”

Tonkins expressed concerns about Sen. Liston holding the seat for another term, deeming it “detrimental.”

Sen. Liston, on the other hand, asserts his right to bring charges in the chest-bump situation and believes Tonkins’ campaign is a political vendetta.

“He’s running out of spite and vindictiveness, and if that’s the way he wants to do it, fine let him do it,” said Liston.

As one of the longest-tenured legislators in the state, the Senator says he is not worried about losing his seat: “I am proud of my record which is why I’ve been elected and reelected seven times by the people of of my former house district and senate 10,” said Liston.

In response to the censure, Liston remains confident that it won’t impact his campaign, stating, “They don’t represent the mainstream of our once proud Republican Party.”

Amidst the tension, Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams issued a statement to FOX21, condemning Liston.

“While the Party condemns the abuse of power actions committed by Larry Liston that victimized Rex Tonkins, we won’t be weighing in on the primary at this time as there are certain conditions that must be met first before we could potentially engage,” said Williams.

Tonkins says he wears many hats, currently serving as a pastor, an executive director of a local nonprofit, and a board member on the El Paso County GOP, of which his wife, Vicki Tonkins, is the chair.

He emphasized that he is committed to upholding Republican values and said “We’ve [him and his wife] been here since 1996. We’ve seen great leaders come and go and not-so-great leaders come and go as well. But I need to step up. I realize that.”

On the other hand, Liston said he has a few pieces of legislation in the works that he is excited about bringing forward if he wins his reelection. He said he is gearing up to launch a strong campgain this spring and is hoping to hold on to his office.

“The people who really matter are the people in my district,” Liston said.