A prominent Republican in Colorado has endorsed a primary challenger to Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who will be seeking re-election next year after barely winning her current term with a margin of just hundreds of votes out of hundreds of thousands that were cast.
The newly endorsing Republican is the state’s former Governor Bill Owens, who is backing a Republican primary contender named Jeff Hurd. “I am proud to endorse Jeff Hurd for U.S. Congress for the 3rd district,” Owens said, as reported recently by Newsweek. “Jeff is a man of character. He is a hardworking, smart and sincere leader who will deliver for the district.” Owens was the Republican most recently in the governor’s chair in Colorado, having served until 2007 — meaning the development seems like a potentially major shift. This isn’t just some rando.
Boebert faces criticism from within her own party over her public image, considering her perceived recklessness and antagonism that culminated in a poorly reflective incident at a Colorado theater, where she and a male companion were asked to leave after disruptive behavior captured in significant part on security camera. Though she first denied some of it, the Congresswoman later tied her actions to a recently revealed divorce.
The set-up is similar, though, to what led Republicans to turn en masse against former Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a North Carolina member of the party who was effectively pushed from office by a successful primary challenge after developments in his personal life like repeated traffic infractions and showing up to an airport with a gun in his baggage. Cawthorn’s personal issues were both more dated and very recent.
Boebert could in next year’s general election face Democratic contender Adam Frisch, who limited polling has suggested is in a great spot. He’s the candidate who nearly defeated Boebert back in 2022. In August, polling done in cooperation with his campaign showed him two percent ahead.
