Top Democratic challenger to controversial Rep. Lauren Boebert ends campaign following Colorado redistricting
- The top Democratic challenger to Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert suspended her campaign on Friday.
- Redistricting in Colorado altered her home district, putting candidate Kerry Donovan outside of Colorado's 3rd Congressional District.
The top Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado suspended her campaign following redistricting efforts in the state.
Colorado State Sen. Kerry Donovan suspended her campaign for Boebert's seat in the House of Representatives after she was drawn out of her Colorado district in the redistricting process.
The Colorado Supreme Court approved a new congressional map, in which Donovan's home in Vail is no longer in the 3rd District, CBS Denver reported. Rather, she is now a resident of the 2nd District, which is represented by Democrat Rep. Joe Neguse.
A candidate is required to live in the state they are running for but not the district, according to House rules. However, candidates from outside of their district can face increased criticism and scrutiny, CBS reported.
"While each $15 check in the mail with a memo 'we believe in you' or $20 donation at a meet and greet made me more committed by the day, the congressional maps failed to recognize the complexity of rural Colorado and instead divided communities, protected incumbents, and ignored Coloradans' voices," Donovan said in a statement on Twitter.
"As a result, there is no viable path forward for me to remain in this race, and I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Congress," she said.
Donovan suspended campaign fundraising in October after initial renderings of the congressional map put her in Colorado's 2nd District, according to the Denver Post.
Prior to the redistricting, Donovan's race was competitive with Boebert's campaign for reelection. Donovan finished the first quarter of fundraising efforts this year with over $630,000 on the heels of Boebert's $700,000, CPR News reported in April. By June, Boebert surged ahead with over $1.8 million in the second quarter to Donovan's $536,000, the Colorado Sun reported.