U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., will not seek reelection in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, instead running for the seat left vacant by retiring Rep. Ken Buck.
In an announcement Wednesday, Boebert said she’s looking for “a fresh start” following a difficult year in her personal life. Boebert this year divorced her husband of 17 years and drew criticism for her actions while in the audience of a musical theater performance in Denver.
“Professionally, Colorado’s 4th District is hungry for an unapologetic defender of freedom with a proven track record of standing strong for conservative principles,” the 37-year-old Republican said in her announcement. “I love Colorado’s 3rd District and I will continue working as hard as I can for the remainder of my term to be a great Representative for the district.
Buck announced last month we would not seek a sixth term representing the 4th Congressional District, citing the Republican Party’s outlook.
The 3rd District covers most of the Western Slope including Grand Junction and Aspen, as well as parts of southern Colorado including Pueblo. The 4th Congressional District covers the state’s rural Eastern Plains and part of the suburbs south of Denver.
“The 3rd and the 4th Congressional Districts comprise nearly 85% of Colorado’s footprint and have less than 20 people per square mile,” said Boebert, who was first elected in 2020. “Rural America deserves a strong voice that fights for their freedoms.”
Boebert, who’s a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, narrowly beat Adam Frisch, a Democrat from Aspen, in 3rd District’s 2022 general election. Frisch is running for the seat in 2024.
Boebert enters a crowded field in the 4th District’s Republican primary race, which includes former state lawmaker Jerry Sonnenberg and state Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron.
