Democrat who nearly unseated Boebert launches 2024 bid against her

Adam Frisch, the Democrat who came within half a percentage point of unseating Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) in last year’s midterm election, is launching a 2024 bid against the congresswoman.

Frisch — who is vying for the seat in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District — rolled out his campaign on Tuesday and will hold an in-person launch event on Wednesday.

“November’s election results show us that Boebert is weak and will be defeated, which is why I have decided to launch my 2024 congressional campaign,” Frisch said in a statement.

Frisch drew widespread headlines in November for his unexpectedly close race against Boebert. At one point, Frisch — whose only electoral experience was serving on the Aspen City Council — led the incumbent by 64 votes. 

Boebert, however, ultimately won reelection by 546 votes, a difference of .16 percentage points. The election went to an automatic recount — a Colorado requirement for races that come within half a percentage point — which confirmed Boebert’s win in the district.

Before the recount was final, however, Frisch conceded to Boebert after determining that his likelihood of changing enough votes was “very small.”

Frisch, who attended freshman orientation last year before his race was finalized, took aim at Boebert on Tuesday.

“Lauren Boebert is everything that’s wrong with Congress,” he said in his announcement video, zeroing in on her vote against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election and her stance against abortion.

“She’s part of the anger-tainment circus that’s tearing our country apart,” he said. “I’ll put Colorado first — Colorado energy, Colorado water and Colorado jobs.”

In a statement to The Hill, Boebert’s spokesman touted the congresswoman’s legislative record and her efforts during last month’s House Speaker race.

Boebert was one of a handful of Republicans who withheld support from now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to push for rules changes that would empower individual members.

“The entire country watched as Congresswoman Lauren Boebert helped fearlessly lead the way in making historic improvements to how Congress operates,” Boebert spokesman Ben Stout said. “In just a matter of weeks since then, Congresswoman Boebert has cosponsored and helped pass 6 bills and authored 4 amendments, each one passing on the House floor with bipartisan support.”

“She looks forward to continuing to serve Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, regardless of whoever runs against her,” Stout added.

Frisch was bullish about his chances of overtaking Boebert in the 2024 cycle, noting that his campaign “only need[s] to change one vote in every precinct” to win.

“Despite her near-loss in a district that favored Republicans by 9 points, Boebert has only doubled-down on her divisive antics, attention-seeking, and angertainment that does nothing to benefit the people of Southern and Western Colorado,” Frisch said in a statement. “Out of all the extremists in congress, we’ve proven that Boebert is the only one who can be defeated.”