The chairman of Colorado’s Republican Party isn’t a fan of Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-CO) decision to forgo a reelection bid in her home district and instead move to a district on the other side of the state that’s considered much friendlier to Republicans.
“From a party perspective, we certainly don’t think it was the best move,” Dave Williamson told CNN Thursday. “We felt that she was best suited for Congressional District 3 and that she was in the best position to win reelection and retain that for Republicans.”
In 2022, Boebert eked out a win against Democrat Adam Frisch by a mere 546 votes out of more than 327,000 cast. Whereas Boebert’s current district—which has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+7—encompasses the western and southern parts of the state, including Aspen, the fourth congressional district is mostly to the East of Denver and has a rating of R+13—the most conservative in the state. That district’s current representative, Rep. Ken Buck, is retiring.
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“Time will tell whether or not we’re right, but I think she’s got a serious challenge on her hands trying to explain to the voters of [Colorado’s 4th District] why she thought it was necessary to leave [Colorado’s 3rd District] and have a better chance at keeping her seat in Congress,” Williamson said. “It’s kind of a problematic proposition. But it’s… something for the voters to decide.”
In announcing her change of plans, Boebert blamed “dark money that is directed at destroying me.”
Among high-profile donors to Frisch’s campaign, according to a report earlier this month, are actors Ryan Reynolds, Barbra Streisand and Rob Reiner, as well as The Eagles’ Don Henley. Frisch’s third quarter haul of over $3.38 million amounted to nearly four times that of Boebert.
Boebert’s decision came months after she was captured on film getting kicked out of a musical in a Denver theater for vaping and being a general disturbance. The congresswoman initially denied vaping before owning up to it.
That embarrassing incident preceded President Joe Bidenreferring to her jokingly as “that very quiet Republican lady” while pitching his administration’s investment in clean energy jobs while at a wind turbine plant in Boebert’s district.
