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Representative Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican, cited her "personal life" on Friday as one of the main reasons behind her decision to run for reelection in a different district in 2024.
"The fresh start is really in regards to my personal life. There's definitely been some changes," the congresswoman told The Durango Herald, referring to her divorce in May 2023, in an interview published Friday.
Boebert, one of the most adamantly pro-Trump members of the House GOP, announced last month in a Facebook video that she would be running for reelection to the House of Representatives in Colorado's 4th Congressional District, as opposed to the 3rd, where she has held office since 2021. Colorado's 4th District is currently being represented by Representative Ken Buck, a Republican, who announced in November that he would not be seeking reelection.
"It is the right decision for me personally, and it is the right decision for those who support our conservative movement. This is the right decision for Colorado, for us," Boebert said in the video. "I will not allow dark money that is directed at destroying me personally to steal this seat. It's not fair to the 3rd District and the conservatives there who have fought so hard for our victories...The Aspen donors, George Soros, and Hollywood actors that are trying to buy this seat, well they can go pound sand."
The congresswoman also called her decision a "fresh start" in her video.
Boebert's move has been widely viewed as an attempt to avoid treacherous reelection odds in the 3rd District where she is facing a notable primary challenge from Republican Jeff Hurd, and an even more fraught general election challenge from Democrat Adam Frisch.
Frisch previously challenged Boebert in the 2022 midterms, nearly pulling off an upset win in the race, which had not been seen by observers as a potentially competitive one. The former Aspen city council member ended up losing the race to Boebert by a little less than 600 votes and is currently mounting another campaign for the 3rd District seat again in 2024.
Newsweek reached out to Boebert's press office via email for further comment.
Shortly after her announcement, Karen Breslin, a Democratic candidate in Colorado's 4th Congressional District published a video welcoming Boebert to the race, which includes an array of other candidates.
"I am a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Colorado Congressional District 4...I want to welcome you to the race," Breslin said.
Trent Leisy, a Republican candidate in the 4th District, previously spoke to Newsweek about Boebert's entrance into the race and said her "representation of Colorado is weakening."
"She doesn't represent her current constituents and does not represent my constituents in CD4, which is why she is seat hopping. Not only is she a seat hopper, she is a flip-flopper and has become out of touch with America First constituents by voting alongside RINO representatives," Leisy told Newsweek last month.
During her interview with The Durango Herald on Friday, Boebert spoke further about her decision to switch districts saying, "Grassroots conservatives in the 4th have seen me fight for their freedoms in Congress and proudly defend their conservative principles...this is something I have a proven track record of doing."
She added: "A lot of people get on the campaign trail and they campaign one way, but then get elected and govern another way. And I have a track record of doing what I promised the people what I would do."
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About the writer
Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more