Colorado GOP chair on Boebert district shift: ‘Don’t think it was the best move’

Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williamson said it may not be the best move for Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) to switch congressional districts after deciding to avoid a tough rematch against Democrat Adam Frisch, a candidate she narrowly beat in the 2022 midterms. 

During a Thursday appearance on CNN, Williamson was asked if Coloradoans are “cool” with “someone who isn’t from their district representing them,” referring to Boebert’s Wednesday announcement saying that she will run to represent her state’s 4th Congressional District as opposed to the 3rd Congressional District where she resides. 

“From a party perspective, we certainly don’t think it was the best move,” Williamson said. “We felt that she was best suited for Congressional District 3 and that she was in the best position to win reelection and retain that for Republicans.”

With shifting districts, Boebert, a staunch conservative, has a better chance at keeping her congressional seat while potentially opening up an opportunity to keep both seats in GOP hands in the upcoming election.

Williamson said he thinks that the validity of Boebert’s decision will be answered over time, noting that Colorado voters will be the ultimate judge. 

“Time will tell whether or not we’re right, but I think she’s got a serious challenge on our hands trying to explain to the voters of [Colorado’s 4th District] why she thought it was necessary to leave [Colorado’s 3rd District] and have a better chance at keeping her seat in Congress,” Williamson said. “It’s kind of a problematic proposition. But it’s again, it’s something for the voters to decide.” 

Boebert’s 3rd Congressional District has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+7. The 4th Congressional District, where she intends to run, is the most conservative in the state, with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+13. It is currently held by Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), who will not seek reelection.

Her announcement has already sparked change in electoral projections. The Cook Political Report changed her district from a “toss up” to “lean Republican.”

In her video announcement Wednesday, Boebert said the decision to switch was not an easy one and that she had a difficult year, mentioning her divorce from earlier in 2023. 

“I did not arrive at this decision easily. A lot of prayer. A lot of tough conversations and a lot of perspective has convinced me that this is the best way I can continue to fight for Colorado, for the conservative movement and for my children’s future and for the future of our great country,” she said.

In the 2022 midterms, Boebert beat Frisch by only 546 votes. He conceded before the completion of the recount. Now, running again for Boebert’s old seat, Frisch has proven to be a prolific fundraiser, a key factor for building name recognition. Through Sept. 30, the former city council member garnered more than $7.7 million, putting him behind only the outgoing former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)