Lauren Boebert projected to win Republican primary bid in new district: How other Colorado races are faring

DENVER — U.S. Rep Lauren Boebert is projected to win her bid to be the Republican candidate in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ and the Associated Press.

The Colorado Republican fled a tough reelection bid in the 3rd District to run in a more favorably red congressional district on the other side of the state.’

Boebert beat a group of homegrown primary candidates who had far less name recognition and generally less combative political styles.

She is expected to win the November general election in the 4th District, which is a dark shade of red and tilted heavily toward former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Her opponents in the primary were more traditional rivals including former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg; current state Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf; and parental rights advocate Deborah Flora.

While the theater incident and Boebert’s district jump rattled some Republicans, Gilbert Kendzior, 68, a voter in Boebert’s new district, shrugged them off, asking “who’s perfect?”

Kendzior said he voted for the congresswoman because she shakes things up. “It’s gotten too staid. Same promises, nothing happens,” he said. “We need to get rid of the old farts.”

It’s still too close to call Boebert’s Democratic opponent.

Colorado’s 4th Congressional District special election

Former Parker Mayor Greg Lopez has won the 4th Congressional District special election on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

Lopez will serve the remainder former Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Buck’s term.

The staunch conservative announced in November of last year that he wasn’t going to seek reelection, citing his party’s handling of former President Donald Trump. Buck resigned from Congress in March.

Lopez had said if he wins the special election, he intends to be a “placeholder” member of Congress and has no interest in serving a full term of his own.

8th Congressional District Republican primary

Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans, a former police officer, defeated former state Rep. Janak Joshi, a retired physician, in the race to challenge Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo. Caraveo won the 8th District, which stretches north of Denver, by fewer than 2,000 votes in 2022.

The primary winner will likely benefit from a windfall of support from the National Republican Campaign Committee, which is intent on defending the party’s thin House majority.