Politics- Rep. Lauren Boebert's district-switch gambit continues to cause headaches in Colorado.
- She said in a recent interview that she's "protecting my voters" from a Democrat.
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert's recent decision to switch congressional districts continues to cause headaches in Colorado.
While she has the backing of national GOP leadership, she faces an established field of formidable opponents who actually live in the state's 4th Congressional District, a more Republican-leaning district that's on the opposite side of the state from where Boebert lives.
Among her opponents is the Colorado House minority leader, Mike Lynch — one of the highest-ranking Republicans in the state's politics — who told Colorado Public Radio that Boebert's decision was "unfortunate."
"I think it's an unfortunate turn of the field, to be honest with you, because that distraction really takes away from the issues we should be focusing on," Lynch said. "Obviously, she's got more money and more name recognition, but that is my job to present a better candidate than her."
But Boebert continues to defend the move — broadly known as "carpetbagging" — by arguing that she's protecting her original district from Democratic representation.
"I am protecting my voters in this move," Boebert told The Durango Herald this week, saying that Democrats were trying to "buy this seat" with millions of dollars in spending.
Boebert already faced a tough reelection after defeating the Democratic candidate Adam Frisch in 2022 by less than 600 votes.
Then came her "Beetlejuice" scandal, where she was caught on camera vaping and apparently groping a male partner in a crowded Denver theater, which led to her ejection.
Before opting to run for a different district, Boebert had embarked on something of an apology tour back home.
Dave Williams, the chair of the Colorado Republican Party, continues to express skepticism about the decision, saying it hurts the party.
"We now are going to have a nominee that is not as well known, that doesn't have as much money or the ability to fundraise as much money as Lauren Boebert did," Williams told The Durango Herald. "So from a party chair's perspective, we're going to have to spend more money, more resources, and more effort boosting a nominee that doesn't have as great of a name ID."
He added that Boebert would have to persuade her new voters "why it's appropriate for her to leave Congressional District 3 and represent a completely different geographical and, I think, cultural constituency."