Boebert faces stiff competition in Colorado House race after switching districts: 'should be very concerned'

 Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert's mission to continue serving in the House of Representatives is turning out to be more difficult than some Republicans originally anticipated.

Instead of seeking re-election to Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, Boebert announced in December that she would run for the House seat being vacated by Representative Ken Buck, R-Colo., in the state's 4th District. In a social media video addressing the switch, Boebert insisted she would "move to fourth place" in 2024.

"This is the right move for me personally, and it's the right decision for those who support our conservative movement," Boebert said at the time. “This is the right move for Colorado, for us.”

However, since her announcement, Boebert has struggled to make inroads among voters in the solidly red district who will cast their ballots in the state's Republican primary election this summer.

Along with eight other Republican candidates who are seeking to represent the district at the federal level, Boebert participated in a debate last week in Fort Lupton, a city about 30 miles north of Denver. There, he attempted to convince voters that he was running for Washington, D.C. Can best represent their interests.

"The crops may be different in Colorado's 4th District, but the prices are not," Boebert told the crowd of local Republicans. "I am a proven fighter for the values you all believe in."

At one point during the debate, candidates were allowed to ask questions of each other candidate. At the time, Boebert, who first won election to the House in 2020, was asked by former Colorado House Minority Leader Mike Lynch to give her "definition of carpetbagger."

To a commotion in the audience, Boebert responded, "Is this a Mary Poppins question? So yes, I've moved to the Fourth District. My boys and I needed a fresh start. It's very public..."

Responding further to Lynch, Boebert claimed that her decision also has the potential to "serve Colorado's 3rd District," stressing that Republicans "now have a chance to absolutely secure that seat and turn it red." There's an opportunity to keep it and stop Hollywood money from flowing into that district".

Following the debate, a straw poll was conducted to better understand how the Republicans in the room felt about the candidates' performance. Boebert finished fifth, receiving only 12 votes out of approximately 100 attendees.

According to Colorado Politics, ahead of Boebert in the straw poll were Logan County Commissioner Jerry Sonnenberg with 22 votes, Lynch with 20 votes, Douglas County filmmaker and radio host Deborah Flora with 18 votes and state House Minority Whip Richard Holtorf with 17. Were with the votes. Vote.

Sonnenberg, a cattleman and former Colorado state senator who announced his decision to enter the race to represent the district in December, told Fox News Digital that he is "not a negative person," but he criticized Boebert. Recognized the importance of the decision to jump. District in an attempt to get re-elected.

Sonnenberg said, "My mother always told me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all, and so I wouldn't either." "What I will tell you is, I think what sets us apart is honesty [and] integrity. It makes a difference. That's important in a candidate, and to me, that's important in that candidate. Which I will support."

He added, "I obviously would not support a candidate who does not have solid roots within the district or who does not understand the district." “I think it becomes a challenge for anyone to take the sound of a component anywhere, quite frankly.”

Furthering his point, Sonenberg said, "It's like a Californian moving to Colorado and wanting to run for office here. They don't know anything about Colorado."

"I would love to make the jump from 3rd to 4th district at the same venue — that makes understanding the district a challenge," he said. "Two completely different districts and, frankly, two completely different environments in which one has to understand."

Before entering the race to succeed Buck, Sonnenberg served on the Colorado Farm Bureau's board of directors before being elected to the state House in 2006 – where he was the only farmer and rancher in the chamber – and to state senator in 2014. Was elected as. ,

Speaking about what "really sets" him apart from Boebert, Sonnenberg said: "I grew up in this district. The neighbors know me, I know the neighbors. I worked in the East Side when I was in the legislature. Represented the Plains. I grew up in the same house where my father and I both grew up. I live in the same house. I have raised my children here."

"I understand the district and the district understands me. I think it makes for a great partnership when they're looking for someone to go to D.C.," he said.

After a straw poll of last week's debate in the Centennial State, Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who reportedly does not want to involve herself in the controversial Colorado election, said she believed Boebert should be "very concerned. Should be."

"I think she has to earn the support of those people. I saw she came in fifth in the straw poll over the weekend, which she should be very concerned about," Green told Kevin Cirilli of The Hill.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Boebert's campaign manager Drew Sexton said: "Congresswoman Lauren Boebert is focused on earning the support of all voters in the 4th District. A straw poll of 10 candidates and their supporters in the 8th District , where the cessation of ticket sales a few days after their announcement is not a concern and does not provide any realistic snapshot of the district."

Downplaying the straw poll results in a post on social media, Colorado Sun political reporter Jesse Paul wrote: "I wouldn't read too much into the straw poll. Fort Lupton, where the debate took place, is in the 8th District. The 4th Not the district. Debate attendees had to pay to attend. Many families, friends of the candidates were present there."

“Very unscientific model,” Paul said.

Winning the Straw Poll was "quite an honor" and a "humbling" experience, Sonnenberg said.

"I'd heard stories of people bringing busloads of supporters to straw polls. Shoot, all I did was bring my son along. Of course, Boebert had staff there... .If her staff had done that she probably would have been in a very low 'won't vote' position,'' he said.

The Colorado Republican primary election is scheduled for June 25. The general election will be held less than five months later, on November 5.