Lauren Boebert wins primary after abandoning current district

Rep. Lauren Boebert is on a much clearer path to victory in November, after she won a Republican primary Tuesday in a district on the other side of the state from her current constituents.

The Colorado Republican prevailed in the crowded primary for the 4th District, previously held by former Republican Rep. Ken Buck. Earlier this cycle, Boebert stared down a likely rematch against Adam Frisch, the same Democrat who was just over 500 votes shy of defeating her in 2022 in her 3rd District. But when Buck announced that he wasn’t seeking reelection, she decided to run in the 4th, which is along the state’s eastern border.

Prior to her decision to run in another district, Boebert dealt with negative headlines after she caused a disturbance during a production of “Beetlejuice” in Denver, as well as a public divorce. She said she switched districts for a “fresh start following a pretty difficult year for me and my family.”

Buck’s departure from Congress in March was sooner than expected, triggering a special election to finish out the rest of his term, which was also on the ballot on Tuesday. Boebert chose not to run in the special election so she wouldn’t have to vacate her current seat in the 3rd — a scenario that typically would make running for the full term more difficult, as the special election nominee often runs in both races.

But Greg Lopez, a former mayor who is Republicans’ special election nominee, did not run for the full term, clearing a major hurdle for Boebert. Lopez won the special election over Democrat Trisha Calvarese, a former congressional and campaign staffer.

Boebert had a strong fundraising advantage over the five other candidates on the ballot, and she received the backing of Speaker Mike Johnson and the state Republican Party.

She also had another major draw: former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Trump’s endorsement has mostly propelled candidates to victory in competitive primaries — although his record is not perfect after a handful of candidates in recent weeks have faltered.

The 4th District is a safe Republican seat, especially compared to Boebert’s old district. The 4th went for Trump by close to 20 points in 2020, whereas he had a less than 10 point margin in the 3rd during the last presidential election.