Rep. Lauren Boebert, the Republican congressman who represents a large region of western and southern Colorado, stated Wednesday that she intends to change districts in the 2024 election.
Boebert announced her intention to run for government in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, which spans the Eastern Plains and is presently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Buck. Buck announced last month that he will not run for reelection in 2024, citing the Republican Party’s backing for former President Donald Trump and an embracing of conspiracy theories. He has served as the district’s representative since 2015.
“I wanted to let you, my constituents and supporters, hear directly from me about my plans for the 2024 election cycle and the importance of maintaining a conservative voice for Colorado in Congress as well as keeping our Republican House majority,” Boebert said in the caption of the video on Facebook.
“I cannot put into words how grateful I am for everyone who has steadfastly stood alongside me over the past year and beyond,” she said. “I am going to do everything in my power to represent the 3rd District well for the remainder of this term as I work to earn the trust of grassroots conservative voters in the 4th District to represent them in 2025.”
The entire video may be viewed here.
Boebert now represents Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, which extends from the northwest corner of the state south via Grand Junction to the southeast corner, east to Pueblo, and the state’s southern central region. Over the last few decades, that district has had both Democratic and Republican legislators.
The 4th Congressional District encompasses the majority of Colorado’s eastern side, as well as Douglas County and Greeley. The district hasn’t had a Democratic representative since 1973, except one-term Democratic Rep. Betsy Markey, who served from 2009 to 2011.
With over 300,000 votes cast, Boebert defeated Democratic challenger Adam Frisch in her reelection campaign in 2022 by just over 500 votes. The race was so close that an automatic recount was ordered. Frisch has stated that he intends to run for re-election in that district.
It’s uncertain how many people will run for that seat, but Republicans Russ Andrews, Jeff Hurd, and Curtis McCrackin have declared their intention to fight Boebert in the 3rd Congressional District primary. Democrats Anna Stout and Adam Withrow, as well as Frisch, and three third-party candidates, have stated they will run for the seat.
Buck was re-elected with more than 60% of the vote in 2022. Boebert will face a competitive field in the Republican primary election, with six other candidates having declared their intention to run. Whoever wins that bid will face the winner of the Democratic primary; three candidates have declared their intention to run for the Democratic candidacy.
Boebert stated in a statement that she will continue to battle for conservatives in Colorado and across the country, as well as against “Democrat socialists and communists” and “Hollywood elites and national progressive groups.”
Boebert was elected to her position for the first time in 2020, defeating 10-year incumbent Scott Tipton, whom Trump endorsed at the time.
Boebert lives in Garfield County, toward the western end of the state, hundreds of miles from the 4th Congressional District. She stated that if elected to represent the 3rd Congressional District, she will relocate to that district. Members of Congress are only obliged to live in the same state as the districts they represent.
In a statement, Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib labeled Boebert “cowardly” for “abandoning” her constituents.
“Lauren Boebert can run, but she can’t hide,” Murib explained. “The good people of Western and Southern Colorado didn’t wait for an election to get rid of Lauren Boebert; we scared her out of her own district.” Lauren Boebert has revealed herself to be everything she claims she isn’t: a standard swampy politician seeking for a reason to call Washington D.C. home. She was a loser in CD3 and will be a loser in CD4.
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Trent Leisy, a candidate for Boebert’s seat, condemned the move from a strategic aspect.
“Lauren Boebert has officially given the Democrats a Congressional seat by switching districts to run in my race,” he wrote in a tweet on Wednesday. “The Democrats would gain control of the House as a result of this move.” Lauren should battle hard to keep her district red! I would NEVER vote to expand FISA in Congress, and I am running in a district where I live.”