Boebert defends decision to run in different Colorado congressional district

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) found herself on the defense several times Thursday during a debate for GOP candidates running to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, as several contenders questioned her decision to change districts.

Boebert has represented Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District since 2021 but announced late last year to run in the 4th Congressional District instead, after the district’s current representative, Ken Buck (R) announced he was retiring.  

Boebert barely won reelection in 2022, beating Democrat Adam Frisch by less than 0.2 percentage points, and Frisch has since announced another run for her seat. Frisch was outfundraising Boebert last year, prompting her to choose a more reliably red seat. 

During a debate hosted by the Lincoln Club and Republican Women of Weld, Boebert was asked by one of her challengers, Republican candidate and filmmaker Deborah Flora, about past comments she made to a former rival: Former state Sen. Kerry Donovan (D) had briefly launched a bid against Boebert last cycle, and Boebert had taken a jab at Donovan for not being from the 3rd Congressional District. 

“Kerry Donovan had no intention of living in the 3rd District. I have been very clear that this is a fresh start for my family and for myself. I am a resident of Weld County and in the 4th District I have worked hard for nearly four years fighting for all of Colorado and for our entire country,” Boebert said. 

“There are many folks that cannot vote for me, and I vote for them each and every day. The crops may be different in Colorado’s 4th District, but the values are not, and I’m a proven fighter for the values that you all believe in — that you want to secure your rights, your children’s future,” she continued. 

Another challenger of Boebert’s, state Rep. Mike Lynch (R), asked her to explain the definition of a carpetbagger in another jab to her residency. 

“So yes, I have moved into the 4th District. My boys and I needed a fresh start. That’s been very public of what the home life looked like, and I’m sorry to bring that up,” she explained. “I’ve tried to put it into a very pretty package and bring my ex-husband lots of honor. But since there is nothing private about my personal life. It is out there, and my boys need some freedom from what has been going on. And this move is the right move for me and for them.” 

Boebert’s divorce from her ex-husband was filed last May and was finalized in the fall.

Boebert is facing a multitude of challengers vying for Buck’s seat. Buck’s district went for Trump by nearly 19 points in 2020, meaning that whoever wins the GOP primary is considered the heavy favorite to win the seat in November.