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In a highly unorthodox move, national Republicans have decided to spend more than $122,000 on primary-race television ads endorsing Steve Huffman for Congress.

The ads, now airing in Southern Arizona, are paid for by the National Republican Congressional Committee. The committee is not accustomed to taking sides in Republican primaries.

Committee spokesman Ed Patru told The Associated Press that the party has not advertised on behalf of any other candidates in a GOP primary race this year. He would not comment on why the group is advertising for Huffman.

The ads brought criticism Wednesday from Huffman's competitors as well as increased national media attention to the race.

Huffman, who won the endorsement of retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe in his bid for the Congressional District 8 seat, has yet to demonstrate a lead in his race against four other Republicans — despite trumping them in fundraising, advertising and endorsements.

Huffman said the national support is a reflection of the importance of the race and that he's the candidate who can win against a Democrat in the general election in November.

"I'm happy to have the support of a whole bunch of folks," he said.

Huffman, a state legislator whose term concludes at the end of this year, also has received donations from powerful Washington Republicans including Dennis Hastert, speaker of the House; John Boehner, House majority leader; and Roy Blunt, House majority whip.

Huffman, who said he first saw one of the ads Wednesday morning, is most threatened by rival Randy Graf, who ran a strong anti-illegal-immigration campaign against Kolbe in 2004.

Graf campaign manager R.T. Gregg was critical of the ad buy.

"It is unconscionable that the power brokers in Washington would try to tell the voters of Arizona who their next congressman should be," Gregg said. "They want someone who will get along and go along. They don't want a fighter."

Graf said the National Republican Congressional Committee's ad buy "certainly seems to set a new precedent."

"But this seat isn't for sale," he added.

Graf said he believes most voters have made up their minds, and that they like his message for strong border security.

"Washington, D.C., seems to want the status quo," Graf said. "They don't want change, and I will bring change."

Candidate Mike Hellon, who was a Republican national committeeman, said the National Republican Congressional Committee's support shows Huffman was "bought and paid for" by Washington, D.C., Republicans.

Hellon, a former GOP state chairman, characterized the out-of-state support as interference in the primary, saying state and local party officials were not consulted.

He also rejected any notion that Huffman would be a better candidate in the general election because of his moderate views on a number of social issues.

"If he can't win his own primary, how can he win the general?" Hellon asked.

While Graf, Hellon and Huffman differ on a number of areas, immigration has been the most divisive issue of the campaign.

And while the Graf and Hellon campaigns said the GOP committee's ad purchase illustrates the weakness of the Huffman campaign, Huffman said it shows just the opposite: that he's the guy to beat.

Also running in the Sept. 12 GOP primary race are Frank Antenori and Mike Jenkins.