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Representative Lauren Boebert declined to endorse former President Donald Trump's 2024 presidential bid after eking out a narrow victory in a closer-than-expected election this month.
Boebert, a Colorado Republican who is one of Trump's closest Congressional allies, is on track to defeat her Democratic challenger Adam Frisch by less than 1 point despite her district's reliable Republican lead. The midterms saw several Trump-aligned candidates like Boebert underperform expectations even as the GOP retook a slim House majority.
In the aftermath of the underwhelming midterms, some Republicans turned on Trump and declined to endorse his presidential bid. He announced on Tuesday his 2024 presidential campaign, but not all Republicans are on board with it.
Boebert was asked about whether she would endorse Trump during an interview with Denver news station KCNC-TV on Friday. While she maintained she is a "huge supporter" of the former president, she avoided saying she would back his presidential bid.
"He is an amazing friend, and certainly an inspiration. I love his policies. America was stronger than ever under his policies. We had peace through strength, and he was certainly motivation for me to stand up for what I know is right," Boebert said. "I certainly would not turn my back on President Trump. I am a huge supporter of his."
She added that she also "loves" Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has frequently been named as a potential Republican rival against Trump.
"I love Governor Ron DeSantis. He is America's governor, and he has the same policies," she said, adding that 2024 remains "in the far future."
A Boebert spokesperson told Newsweek in a statement that "the Congresswoman supports President Trump 100%."
The GOP lawmaker's comments come after narrowly winning reelection. According to CNN, Boebert currently holds a 554 vote lead over Frisch, making her election one of the closest House races across the United States in a district Trump won by more than 8 percentage points in 2020. Even though Frisch has conceded the race, its close nature will likely trigger an automatic recount.
While Boebert and many other Republicans have not made an endorsement for the 2024 GOP primary, others including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have indicated support for Trump.
"President Trump has my full endorsement and my support as our Republican nominee in 2024," Greene said in a video shared on Twitter.
Some Republicans, including Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Representative-elect Mike Lawler of New York, have suggested the GOP should move away from Trump following the midterms.
"I would like to see the party move forward," Lawler, who unseated Representative Sean Patrick Maloney, told CNN. "I think anytime you are focused on the future, you can't so much go to the past."
Updated 11/22/22 9:04 a.m. ET: This story was updated with a statement from Boebert's office.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more