By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
WINDSOR — There hasn’t been an outcome in a race like this since 1973.
Then, it was the soon to be legend Secretariat blowing away Sham and the field by 31 lengths to win horse racing’s Triple Crown. Tuesday night, Lauren Boebert defeated all five Republican suitors in the 4th District’s primary election for the U.S. House seat formerly held by ex-U.S. Rep. Ken Buck by 29.1% — in a six-candidate race.
It wasn’t even close.
“The numbers don’t lie,” said Drew Sexton, who manages the Boebert campaign.
Boebert won 15 of the 21 counties in the district, and earned votes where it mattered to win. She took 24,277 votes in Douglas County, more than double the total of fellow frontrunner Deborah Flora in what had figured to be an area of stength for Flora. About half the registered voters in the district reside in Douglas County.
Boebert dominated with a 28.2% spread in Larimer County, where Mike Lynch of Wellington had to win to have a chance at victory. She won her home county of Weld by 31% and Morgan County by 9.1%, a battleground county for Richard Holtorf and Jerry Sonnenberg. In super-red Burlington, where Boebert made several stops, she took 47.5% of votes. She checked off wins from north to south on the plains. Sonnenberg won five counties and Holtorf one, including the counties where they reside, but it wasn’t enough.
For perspective, Boebert beat a field of five Republican opponents by a greater margin than Buck defeated one Democrat in his last general election.
“Don’t ever let anyone say your vote does not matter, that it does not count,” Boebert said. “It absolutely does. People have fought and died for your right to vote and participate in who is sent [to Washington, D.C.] to represent you.”
She was repeatedly name-called by opponents during a never-ending cycle of forums and debates, but won the support of those who mattered.
“We have Lauren,” Sexton said.
It’s an advantage he wouldn’t trade.
“People meet her, they hear her story and they connect with her instantly,” he said. “She has that ‘it’ factor you just can’t teach.”
An example was on Election Night at her Victory Headquarters. Someone had mispronounced Boebert’s last name a few times and she made a correction: “If you say Bobbitt, please say Lorena; and please remember, I’m not French.”
Boebert moved from the 3rd District on the Western Slope to the 4th District on the Eastern Plains, an area largely comprised of conservative, farming and ranching families. She may have won their respect with a work ethic embodied by one week in April.
“She was everywhere that week, outworking everyone,” Sexton said.
She visited Baca, Crowley, Elbert and Yuma Counties over a weekend, unexpectedly entered the hospital on Monday, had a surgery on Tuesday, participated in a Douglas County forum in person on Thursday and by Friday was at the Republican Party’s Assembly in Pueblo, taking top-line on the ballot.
There aren’t many farmers in the district who could compete with that schedule.
In a large area of the state one pollster identified as “MAGA Country”, Boebert was an instant fit, and it didn’t hurt she held an endorsement from President Donald Trump. She began Election Night wearing a pair of Americana boots selected for her by country music legend John Rich of “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” fame, and ended the evening wearing a gold pair of Trump sneakers and a Trump-autographed MAGA hat.
“We know the people in this district,” Boebert said. “We know it is a Republican district. We know there is work to do, and we know there will be a landslide victory Nov. 5.”
She ran as “100% conservative” and often noted proof such as an A-plus grade with the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America, and a 100% grade on the Liberty Scorecard. Half the field of candidates in the 4th District had failing Liberty grades.
“The people have spoken,” Boebert said. “They do not want a uniparty, but they do want a unified Republican Party.”
In a recent grassroots call and again on Election Night, she paused her comments to pray with supporters. She noted her faith during comments following her victory, and also some of the foundations of the country.
“[We] honor those who have fought for our great nation, to preserve our freedoms, because we truly live in the greatest nation this world has ever seen,” Boebert said. “I’m happy to be alongside of you in this fight, as your next congresswoman from Colorado.”
As she prepared to close remarks and exit the stage in Windsor, having clearly earned the Republican nomination in the general election, Boebert told supporters there can be a bright future.
“America will rise again,” she said.
What do the people of the 4th District like about Boebert that the people of the 3rd District also supported?
“People, no matter where, want someone who will deliver results,” she said. “I have always put the American people and Colorado first.”
It may be a message voters hear between now and the general election.
“We have to keep telling everyone about her record of getting things done for Colorado,” Sexton said.
Added Delanie Bomar, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee: “As a member of Congress, Lauren has fought to improve the economy, protect the environment, and secure the border, proving her dedication to representing Coloradans. We are confident the voters will once again send Lauren to Congress this November.”
Hurd defeats Hanks for 3rd District nomination
Jeff Hurd, an attorney and native of the 3rd District, collected 41.3% of all votes in another six-candidate field on Tuesday evening.
He defeated his closest opponent, Ron Hanks, by 12.8%, not quite the performance of Boebert, but a double-digit victory all the same.
“The Democrats and Adam Frisch are afraid of me,” Hurd told CBS Colorado. “They know that I am the candidate that can win the general election, that can hold this seat, that reflects western and southern Colorado values and can hold the seat come November.”
In the days leading up to Election Day, Frisch, who is making his second bid for the seat, sank almost $500,000 into the election against Hurd.
“Adam Frisch wasted $462,000 meddling in the Republican primary, tipping his hand that he could not win unless he played dirty,” said Delanie Bomar, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “That’s because Coloradans can’t stand Frisch’s agenda of higher costs, the war on energy and a border crisis bringing drugs and crime to their backyard. We agree with Adam Frisch – Jeff Hurd is the right candidate to keep this seat red and we are confident Colorado will send him to Congress.”
Hanks was a clear choice as runner-up in the election. He defeated top-line candidate Stephen Varela by 18.7%, who finished third.
Rematch set in 2nd District
Marshall Dawson was unopposed in Colorado’s 2nd District Republican Party primary election, but a David versus Goliath matchup awaits in the general election.
Joe Neguse, the U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader, is once again Dawson’s opponent. The voting tally from Tuesday explains Dawson’s challenge in Northern Colorado — Neguse collected 82,314 votes to Dawson’s 28,081.
It’s Crank in 5th District, but who’s the Democrat?
The voters of Southern Colorado’s 5th District sent a message of support for Jeff Crank on Tuesday, handing him a 30.4% victory over Dave Williams. Crank collected 65.2% of votes cast in the primary with a total of 56,437.
Who he will face in the general election remains in doubt. River Gassen holds a 482 vote lead, 50.59% of the vote, over Joe Reagan in the Democratic Party’s primary election.
“[Jeff’s] plans to secure our southern border and fix Biden’s broken economy have clearly resonated with voters,” Bomar said. “As a longtime radio host and small business owner, Jeff’s unique connections with Coloradans make him the perfect representative for the district. We feel confident voters will send Jeff to Congress this November.”
Evans soundly defeats Joshi to earn nomination
Gabe Evans might want to circle June 25, 2024, on his calendar. Days like this don’t come around too often.
He defeated Janak Joshi, the retired doctor, by 55.1% to claim victory in the 8th District primary election. Evans will face Yadira Caraveo in the general election. The district is one of the Republicans’ top targets nationally.
“Tonight, we showed Republicans are united and fired up to win this seat and defeat Yadira Caraveo,” said Gabe Evans. “Both in the military and law enforcement, I learned successful campaigns are run when a team works together, and I am so proud of the team we have built to take back CD8. Yadira Caraveo is directly responsible for Colorado’s fentanyl crisis, sky rocketing cost of living, and crime wave. It’s time for a change. I’m ready to use my experience as a military officer and law enforcement commander to bring relief to Coloradans and save our state. Onward to victory in November!”
Caraveo defeated Barbara Kirkmeyer two years ago to become the first to hold the newly created 8th District, which gave Colorado an additional delegate in the Electoral College.