TOWAOC, Colo. — In a casino bingo hall located in the southwestern part of Colorado, Lauren Boebert, a Republican congresswoman, playfully bounced her 6-month-old grandson on her knee. During the Montezuma County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day dinner, Boebert expressed her optimism about the upcoming elections, saying, “The election’s still a ways away. And in talking with people at events like this, you know, it seems like there’s a lot of mercy and a lot of grace.”
However, Boebert’s positive image took a hit the previous month when she was caught on a security camera vaping and groping her date during a performance of the musical “Beetlejuice” in Denver. This incident contradicted her own initial claims and added to the outrage when it was revealed that Boebert had demanded preferential treatment. As a result, several local Republican officials have withdrawn their support for Boebert and backed Jeff Hurd, a more conventional Republican, in the upcoming primary.
Hurd’s candidacy has become a symbol of Republican discontent with the perceived excesses of the party’s MAGA wing. Notable party figures such as former Gov. Bill Owens, former Sen. Hank Brown, and Pete Coors have endorsed Hurd. Coors, in particular, emphasized Hurd’s character and behavior as reasons for his endorsement, stating that Hurd is a “principled leader” who won’t disappoint his supporters.
Some Hurd supporters are primarily concerned with the party’s recent defeats in the state and see him as a better chance of winning in the general election. Meanwhile, others who were once supporters of Boebert express disappointment in her behavior and believe that she has been changed by her political fame.
Polls for the primary race have not been released yet, but the possibility of Boebert losing support among the party’s voters is a growing concern. While some supporters still stand by her, citing her aggressiveness and fresh ideas, others believe that her recent controversies have made her vulnerable. In the 2022 election, she won re-election by only 546 votes, making her the most vulnerable of the party’s beloved politicians. Democrats see her defeat this year as a significant victory.
Adam Frisch, a Democrat who ran against Boebert in 2022, is hoping to challenge her again next year. He faces a primary contest against Anna Stout, the mayor of Grand Junction. Frisch has already raised nearly $7.8 million in donations, making him one of the top House candidates in terms of fundraising. In a poll conducted by Frisch’s campaign before the theater incident, he was leading Boebert by 2 points.
For some Colorado Republicans, the primary contest for Boebert’s seat represents a larger conflict within the party between the old guard of politicians and donors and the right-wing grassroots activists. The issue of 2020 election denial has become a major dividing line in this fight.
Others are simply concerned that Boebert is at risk of losing to Frisch, who describes himself as a conservative Democrat. The fact that Frisch almost won in a race that was not initially seen as competitive has raised alarm bells for many. Frisch and outside Democratic groups have already reserved $1.2 million in advertising for the race, significantly more than what Republicans have spent in the district.
Boebert’s campaign manager, Drew Sexton, believes that 2024 will be a different contest compared to the previous election. He expects more voters to participate, and he is confident that Boebert’s supporters will come out in greater numbers. On the campaign trail, Boebert has been working hard to show her supporters that she values their votes and is not taking them for granted.
In her speech at the Montezuma County dinner, Boebert emphasized her commitment to investigating the Biden administration, which received applause from the audience. The upcoming primary race will ultimately determine whether Boebert can maintain her political influence and secure re-election in a district that has traditionally leaned Republican.
