Pueblo Dems chair calls Boebert swap 'embarrassing'; local GOP is 'sorry to see her go'

Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s decision to push for her party’s nomination for Colorado's 4th Congressional District seat next year has drawn criticism and regret from chairs of the state’s political parties.

Pueblo County party chairs shared similar thoughts Thursday about the move that shook up what was expected to be a tightly contested 3rd Congressional District race.

Boebert, who last year narrowly won a second term to represent the 3rd District, said in a video Wednesday that she won’t seek a potential rematch against Democratic challenger Adam Frisch. Instead, she’ll run for the seat soon to be vacated by fellow Republican and U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, who isn’t seeking a sixth term in a district that’s far more conservative than the already strong Republican-leaning 3rd District.

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib, in a news release, called Boebert's decision "cowardly." Bri Buentello, the chair of the Pueblo County Democratic Party, echoed Murib’s sentiment, telling the Chieftain that the switch is “desperate” and “carpetbagging at its finest.”

Colorado Republican Party Chair Dave Williams said that Boebert’s decision jeopardized the party’s ability to maintain the 3rd District and that it “let down” Republicans who live in the district.

“I’d be hard-pressed to think of another way to say you’re sure you’re going to lose this race without saying you’re going to lose the race,” Buentello said. “I mean, she literally went out shopping for a new district. It’s embarrassing.”

Michelle Gray, the chair of the Pueblo County Republican Party, said in a statement to the Chieftain that the local party is “sorry to see” Boebert depart the district, which encompasses the Western Slope and Pueblo.

“We will continue to wish her the best moving forward,” Gray said. “Congresswoman Boebert has represented our district well.”

Gray added that the party “looks forward to giving full support” to whichever Republican candidate emerges to run to represent the 3rd District.

“In this important election year, the Republican Party of Pueblo will encourage conservative candidates in their primary campaigns and will continue to seek the best representation at all levels of government,” Gray said.

During the 2022 election, Boebert bested Frisch by 546 votes. The neck-and-neck race generated immense interest and surprise, as many suspected Boebert would handily defeat Frisch, a Democrat from Aspen who received little fanfare in the lead-up to the election.

Before Boebert’s exit, next year’s race for the seat was expected to be a true toss-up, but now may lean Republican, according to David Wasserman, an elections analyst for The Cook Political Report.

Buentello said she already suspected Pueblo would vote out Boebert and choose Frisch, who she feels remains a “great candidate” and the “right person” to represent the district. She isn’t sure if Democrats have a better chance at reclaiming the seat following Boebert’s move, however, noting that it has leaned Republican for some time.

She expressed excitement, though, for the 3rd District race, stating that the local party will continue to move forward and assist the 546 Project, which seeks to bolster voter turnout next year.

“Now it’s an open race,” she said.

Frisch will face a primary challenge from Anna Stout, mayor of Grand Junction, while Boebert would've had more than a few candidates to defeat had she remained in the race, including Carbondale businessman Russ Andrews and Grand Junction attorney Jeff Hurd, among others.

Frisch’s campaign so far has significantly outraised Boebert’s, which put heat on the congresswoman’s reelection bid. She also faced immense scrutiny for her behavior during a “Beetlejuice” musical performance at Denver’s Buell Theater, further dividing her support to secure a third term.

Other controversial statements made by Boebert during her time representing the 3rd District generated additional criticism, though she has garnered some support and has repeatedly shown a willingness to fight back and defend her actions.

Frisch, though, has been the “perfect antidote” to Boebert because he “cares about the district and shows up,” Buentello said. The former Aspen City Council member has raised millions of dollars and consistently visits constituents in towns and cities within the district. Boebert this year touted the passage of her first bill, the Pueblo Jobs Act, and vowed to make District 3 voters “proud” of her following the Buell Theater incident.

Boebert on Wednesday called her decision a chance at a “fresh start.”

“(Beobert’s decision) just shows that she’s another career politician,” Buentello said. “She isn’t even pretending to care about the district she’s supposed to serve.”

House of Representatives members do not need to live in the district they represent, but Boebert said in the video that she plans to move into the 4th District in 2024.

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: What Pueblo County party chairs said about Boebert's district swap