Lauren Boebert’s Race Called In Colorado
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) has secured reelection in a close contest against her Democratic opponent, Trisha Calvarese.
Boebert won with 52.9% of the vote, while Calvarese garnered 43.2%. The Associated Press called the race at 11:18 p.m. Eastern, with 82% of the vote tallied.
Following a narrow victory in Colorado’s 3rd District in 2022, Boebert relocated to run in the more reliably Republican 4th District. Despite recent controversies, including an incident at a "Beetlejuice" musical, she emerged victorious in the 4th District, maintaining her seat in Congress.
Boebert was favored to win, with the Cook Political Report rating the race as “solid Republican.”
The race was to replace outgoing Rep. Ken Buck, a ‘moderate’ Republican who announced his retirement after falling out of favor with former President Trump and his supporters.
Despite being outraised by about five times, Boebert overcame a substantial fundraising gap. Calvarese reported raising $2.68 million from July through September, compared to Boebert’s $532,000, as reported by Colorado Politics.
Calvarese attempted to paint Boebert as inattentive to her constituents' needs. “Rep. Lauren Boebert’s disrespect of veterans, failure to do anything to lower prices, violation of individual freedoms, and willingness to give up America’s competitive edge has galvanized an outpouring of support from across Colorado,” she stated.
Historically, the district hasn’t elected a Democrat since 2008.
In May, Boebert voiced her concerns about House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who faced a potential vote to vacate his position. She expressed frustration over what she perceives as undue Democratic influence on the GOP majority’s legislative priorities.
“We are passing the Democratic agenda every day that we’re here,” she told reporters. “We have a slim majority in the House, and everything’s being passed overwhelmingly with Democrats’ support, so it makes no difference to me if it’s Hakeem Jeffries as speaker or Mike Johnson right now.”
Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, has stated that if Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) follows through with her intention to introduce a motion to vacate the chair, he would support Johnson and urge fellow Democrats to do the same.
Later, Boebert remarked, “I want Speaker Mike Johnson to do his absolute best. I like Mike,” adding, “It’s just really sad seeing the policies that are coming out. Hopefully, something changes.”
Earlier in the month, Boebert underwent emergency surgery to address a blood clot in her leg, as her campaign reported.
According to a statement, she was admitted to UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado, after experiencing swelling in her upper left leg. A CT scan revealed an acute blood clot, and she was diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome, a rare condition affecting blood flow.
While the cause remains uncertain, the campaign noted that factors such as dehydration, travel, and prolonged sitting may contribute to symptoms of May-Thurner Syndrome, which is more common in women ages 20 to 45 who have given birth.
Doctors scheduled and successfully completed a procedure to remove the clot and insert a stent. The statement noted that Boebert is expected to make a full recovery with no long-term health concerns or impact on her ability to serve in Congress.
Boebert thanked her medical team, saying, “I want to thank Dr. Rebecca Bade and the entire team at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies for their great care and providing helpful insight on my recent diagnosis. I’m looking forward to making a full recovery and getting back to Congress to continue fighting for Colorado.”