Rep. Lauren Boebert wins primary after switching districts in Colorado

Lauren Boebert Wins Republican Primary for Colorado’s 4th Congressional DistrictLauren Boebert Wins Republican Primary for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District In a closely watched primary race, firebrand Republican Lauren Boebert has emerged victorious in the race for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, according to Associated Press projections. Boebert, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, made the strategic move to leave her previous district, where she faced a closer-than-expected re-election race in 2022, to run for the safer territory of the 4th District. Her gamble paid off as she defeated five other Republicans in the primary. The seat in the 4th District became available after Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) resigned in March. Despite her new district, Boebert brought a number of advantages to the race. She had Trump’s endorsement and has been a top fundraiser since April 1, according to Federal Election Commission records. Among Boebert’s opponents were Republicans with deeper ties to the district, including Jerry Sonnenberg, who narrowly lost the GOP nomination for the special election to conclude Buck’s term. Boebert has been a controversial figure since her election to Congress in 2020. She has joined pro-Trump factions in the House and has been involved in several personal scandals. Democrat Adam Frisch, who came within 600 votes of defeating Boebert in 2020, is running for the 3rd District again. Frisch was unopposed in his primary but made efforts to influence the Republican primary in Boebert’s absence, running ads designed to elevate Ron Hanks, who ultimately finished a distant second to Jeff Hurd. In other Colorado primaries, Gabe Evans is expected to win the GOP nomination in the 8th District to challenge Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D), while conservative commentator Jeff Crank will replace retiring Rep. Doug Lamborn (R) in the 5th Congressional District.

According to an Associated Press projection, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) has won the Republican primary for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District after deciding not to seek re-election in her current, more competitive district.

Boebert, a fiery conservative who was closely aligned with former President Donald Trump, opted to leave the 3rd District after surviving a closer-than-expected race there in 2022. The gamble paid off Tuesday when she defeated five other Republicans in the 4th District, safer territory for Republicans in November.

The seat in the 4th District, which covers much of the eastern half of Colorado, was vacant after Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) resigned in March. There was also a special election Tuesday to conclude Buck’s term, but Boebert chose not to run, and the Republican candidate, Greg Lopez, did not run against Boebert for a full term.

Despite the new district — her old district covered the other side of the state — Boebert brought some notable advantages to the primary. She had Trump’s support and had been a fundraising leader since April 1, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Boebert’s main opponents included Republicans with stronger ties to the district. One was Jerry Sonnenberg, a Logan County commissioner who narrowly lost the GOP nomination for the special election.

Boebert has courted controversy since her first election to Congress in 2020. She has joined pro-Trump troublemakers in the House of Representatives and endured several personal scandals, including an incident last year that saw her kicked out of a Denver theater .

Democrat Adam Frisch, a former Aspen City Council member, came within 600 votes of ousting Boebert two years ago and is running again for the 3rd District.

Frisch was unopposed in his primary on Tuesday, but he made a serious effort to influence the Republican primary now that Boebert was no longer running. Frisch and an outside group ran ads that appeared designed to elevate one of the Republican candidates, Ron Hanks, over his primary voters.

Hanks is a former state representative who has repeated Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and was present at the rally that preceded the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Despite the interference, Hanks finished a distant second, losing to attorney Jeff Hurd.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, the top GOP super PAC focused on House races, spent more than $400,000 to ensure Hanks would not be the nominee.

“The Democrats tried every dirty trick in the book to insert themselves into this race and send their preferred candidate into the fall,” CLF President Dan Conston said in a statement, adding that Hurd’s nomination “ensures that this seat remains red in November.”

In the special election to conclude Buck’s term, Lopez — the former mayor of Parker, Colorado — could easily defeat Democrat Trisha Calvarese, a former speechwriter, according to the AP.

In other Colorado primaries, state Rep. Gabe Evans is expected to win the GOP nomination in the 8th District to challenge Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D) in her Denver-area district, according to the Associated Press. Evans received support from Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Americans for Prosperity, the conservative group that opposed Trump during this year’s presidential primaries. Evans’ main opponent was Janek Joshi, a former state representative who was endorsed by the Colorado GOP.

Caraveo wasted little time in drawing contrast ahead of the general election, with her campaign issuing a press release calling Evans an “inexperienced Trump-endorsed state lawmaker with a history of pandering to the most extreme elements of his party.”

In Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, Republicans chose conservative commentator Jeff Crank to replace retiring Rep. Doug Lamborn (R) in his Colorado Springs district, according to AP’s projection. Crank, who had Johnson’s support, defeated controversial state Republican Party chairman Dave Williams, who had Trump’s support. The district favors the Republican Party in the November election.