Rep. Boebert Announces Plans to Switch Congressional Districts in 2024

The decision wasn’t an easy one, the lawmaker said—it was made after ‘a lot of prayer, a lot of tough conversations, and a lot of perspective.’
Rep. Boebert Announces Plans to Switch Congressional Districts in 2024
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) speaks during a press conference with the House Freedom Caucus on the debt limit negotiations at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on March 10, 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Katabella Roberts
12/28/2023
Updated:
12/28/2023
0:00

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) says she'll seek office in a different congressional district next year, the lawmaker said on Dec. 27.

Ms. Boebert, 37, announced the planned switch in a video on Facebook, noting that she “did not arrive at this decision easily.”
The two-term representative will seek to win Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, which spans Weld County, Douglas County, and the eastern part of the state. The district is currently served by Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) of Windsor, who said in November that he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2024.

Ms. Boebert currently represents the state’s 3rd Congressional District, which spans Colorado’s Western Slope into Pueblo and southeastern Colorado.

“Today, I’m announcing my candidacy for the 2024 Republican nomination to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional District,” Ms. Boebert said in the video. “It’s the right move for me personally, and it’s the right decision for those who support our conservative movement.”

The lawmaker stressed that the decision wasn’t an easy one, noting that she chose to switch districts after “a lot of prayer, a lot of tough conversations, and a lot of perspective.” That, she said, “convinced me this is the best way I can continue to fight for Colorado, for the conservative movement, and for my children’s future.”

Ms. Boebert won the 3rd Congressional District by just 546 votes last year over Democrat Adam Frisch following a recount of votes.

The 3rd District leans 9 percentage points in Republicans’ favor, while the 4th District is far more GOP-friendly at 27 points, according to The Colorado Sun.

‘Personal Mistakes’

In her video announcement, Ms. Boebert alluded to a tough reelection race ahead of her in her current district and implied that her departure would help Republicans retain the seat.

“I will not allow dark money that is directed at destroying me personally to steal this seat,” she said. “It’s not fair to the 3rd District and the conservatives there who have fought so hard for our victories, for which I’m incredibly grateful.

“Colorado’s 4th district is hungry for an unapologetic defender of freedom with a proven track record of standing strong for conservative principles.”

Ms. Boebert also referenced her divorce from her husband of 18 years, Jayson Boebert, and her “own personal mistakes,” which she has since “owned up to” and “apologized for,” appearing to reference her alleged inappropriate public behavior with a date at a performance of the musical “Beetlejuice” at the Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre in Denver this year.

Ms. Boebert was caught on camera vaping at the performance before being ejected from the theater. She has since apologized repeatedly.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas on Aug. 6, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez for The Epoch Times)
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas on Aug. 6, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez for The Epoch Times)

The lawmaker said this year has tested her faith, strength, and abilities as a mother and also as a congresswoman.

“It’s been humbling, it’s been challenging, but it also helped me grow,” she said. “I cannot put into words how grateful I am for everyone who has steadfastly stood alongside me in the 3rd District and across America. The relationships we have cultivated over the past few years are deeply cherished and unbreakable.”

Ms. Boebert lives in Garfield County, near the town of Silt, which is hundreds of miles from the 4th Congressional District’s boundaries, according to The Colorado Sun. However, under federal law, members of Congress don’t have to live within the boundaries of the district they represent, just the state that the district is in.

The lawmaker noted in her video on Dec. 27 that she plans to relocate to the 4th District in 2024.

“Personally, this announcement is a fresh start following a pretty difficult year for me and my family,” she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.