Boebert Announces Plan to Change Districts in 2024 Election
Rep. Lauren Boebert, the Republican congresswoman representing a huge swath of western and southern Colorado, announced Wednesday that in the 2024 election, she plans on changing districts.
Boebert said in a Facebook video that she intends to seek office in Colorado's 4th Congressional District, which covers the Eastern Plains, currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Buck. Buck said last month that he won't seek reelection in 2024, due to the Republican Party's support of former President Donald Trump and, what he called an embrace of conspiracy theories. He's represented the district 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 wrote in the caption of that Facebook video.
"I am incredibly grateful to all those who have supported me throughout the past year and beyond," she expressed. "I am fully committed to serving the 3rd District with utmost dedication for the remainder of my term, while also striving to earn the trust of grassroots conservative voters in the 4th District in order to represent them in 2025."
To watch the complete video, click here.
Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, which is currently represented by Boebert, encompasses the northwest corner of the state, extending south through Grand Junction to the southeast corner, and east to Pueblo and the southern central region. Over the past few decades, this district has been represented by both Democrats and Republicans.
The 4th Congressional District includes the majority of the eastern half of the state, as well as Douglas County and Greeley. With the exception of one-term Democratic Rep. Betsy Markey, who served from 2009 to 2011, the district has not had a Democratic representative since 1973.
In the 2022 election, Boebert secured her reelection in a narrow victory over Democratic opponent Adam Frisch, with a margin of just over 500 votes out of more than 300,000 ballots cast. The race was so close that it triggered an automatic recount. Frisch has announced his intention to run for that district again.
While it is uncertain how many individuals will vie for the seat, Republicans Russ Andrews, Jeff Hurd, and Curtis McCrackin have declared their intent to challenge Boebert in the primary for the 3rd Congressional District. Democrats Anna Stout and Adam Withrow, as well as Frisch, and three third-party candidates have also expressed their interest in seeking the seat.
In the 2022 elections, Representative Buck secured his reelection with a comfortable majority, receiving over 60% of the votes. On the other hand, Representative Boebert will face a competitive primary election, as six other Republican candidates have already announced their intention to run. The winner of the Republican primary will then go head-to-head with the victorious candidate from the Democratic primary. Currently, three individuals have declared their intent to seek the Democratic nomination.
In a statement, Representative Boebert expressed her commitment to fighting for conservatives in Colorado and the United States. She vowed to stand against "Democrat socialists and communists" as well as "Hollywood elites and national progressive groups."
Representative Boebert was first elected to her seat in 2020, defeating the incumbent Scott Tipton, who had received an endorsement from former President Trump.
Despite living in Garfield County, which is located hundreds of miles away from the 4th Congressional District, Representative Boebert stated that she would relocate to the district if elected to represent it. It is worth noting that members of Congress are only required to live in the same state as the district they represent, not necessarily within the district itself.
In response to Boebert's relocation plans, Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib criticized her for "abandoning" her constituents, describing her actions as cowardly.
Political Rival Criticizes Lauren Boebert's District Switch
Trent Leisy, a candidate running for the seat Lauren Boebert is now seeking, has criticized her recent move to switch districts. In a tweet on Wednesday, Leisy stated, "Lauren Boebert has officially given the Democrats a Congressional seat by switching districts to run in my race. This move would give the Democrats control of the House. Lauren should be a fighter and keep her district red! In Congress, I would NEVER vote to expand FISA and am running in a district that I actually live in."
