Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) won’t seek reelection in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District next year, according to a video she posted to her Facebook page.
But that doesn’t mean she’s not running at all.
The GOP firebrand announced that she will be moving to a different part of the state to give herself a “fresh start” after a divorce and controversial night on the town with a registered Democrat and will instead run for Congress in her new district, Colorado’s 4th, a seat that is currently held by retiring Rep. Ken Buck.
The congresswoman would have had to face Republican attorney Jeffrey Hurd in the primary and Democrat Adam Frisch in the general, who nearly ousted Boebert by 546 votes in 2022.
“It’s the right move for me personally, and it’s the right decision for those who support our conservative movement. This is the right move for Colorado for us,” said Boebert. “2024 is going to be tough, we cannot lose the third, and Colorado’s fourth district is hungry for an unapologetic defender of freedom with a proven track record of standing strong for conservative principles. We have to protect our majority in the House, win the Senate, and win the presidency.”
Boebert accused “Hollywood elites and progressive money groups” of trying to “buy” her current district after Frisch brought in a large amount of campaign money this year, the Daily Caller reported. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Frisch has raised a total of $7.8 million this year and has $4.3 million cash on hand.
Certainly unexpected https://t.co/Q8rAMc0m3A
— Real American Politics (@RealAPolitics) December 28, 2023
In addition, Hurd has reported raising just under a half million dollars since his August campaign launch and has $355,900 in the bank.
According to FiveThirtyEight’s survey compilation, a recent poll had Frisch beating Boebert by 2 points, while a poll from earlier this year had the two running neck-and-neck. The Daily Caller noted that Buck’s district leans heavily Republican, so she will not have as difficult a time of winning his seat.
“Personally, this announcement is a fresh start following a pretty difficult year for me and my family. I’ve never been in politics before, and I’ve never been through a divorce, something I never intended to go through. I’ve made my own personal mistakes, and I’ve owned up and apologized for them,” said Boebert. “It’s tested my faith, my strength, and my abilities both as a mom and a congresswoman. It’s been humbling and challenging, but it’s also given me perspective and helped me grow.”
Earlier this year, Boebert divorced her husband after 20 years, then engaged in a short but tumultuous relationship with a Democrat who owns an LGBT-friendly bar. They were captured on video engaging in intimate behavior during the musical “Beetlejuice,” and they were eventually booted from the theater for vaping and being loud.
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