**Boebert Likely to Fill House Seat Vacated by GOP-Critic Congressman**
In a significant political shift, Rep. Lauren Boebert is poised to replace former Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Buck in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. Buck, who resigned from Congress due to frustrations with the GOP’s unwavering support for former President Donald Trump, will likely see his seat filled by one of Trump’s most vocal supporters.
Boebert, known for her staunch allegiance to Trump and her headline-grabbing antics, secured a victory in Tuesday night’s Republican primary election. She had strategically joined the race for the 4th District last year, avoiding a potentially tough reelection bid in her current seat, which she narrowly retained against a Democrat in 2022.
Boebert’s political maneuvering appears to have paid off, while Buck’s aspirations for a more moderate Congress seem to have faltered, at least in his former district. Despite other Trump-aligned Republican candidates losing their primaries in Colorado, Boebert has a clear path to victory in a district that heavily supported Trump in the 2020 election.
Following her primary win, Boebert celebrated by wearing reflective gold shoes sold by Trump and a “Make America Great Again” hat bearing his signature. She defended her uncompromising political style, stating, “nothing happens without force,” even though her approach has been divisive in Washington.
However, Boebert’s journey to victory was not without its challenges. Her decision to switch districts was complicated by a public incident where she was caught on tape vaping and causing a disturbance at a musical production of “Beetlejuice.” Additionally, she faced accusations of carpetbagging from fellow Republicans.
Ken Buck, a fiscal conservative and former member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, which includes Boebert, has refrained from publicly commenting on his likely replacement. He declined to provide a statement for this article. Nonetheless, Buck has been critical of the GOP’s echoing of Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election, efforts to impeach President Joe Biden, and the portrayal of those charged in the January 6 Capitol riots as political prisoners.
Boebert has been involved in many of these contentious issues. In a private event recording reported by Politico, Buck remarked that “she makes George Santos look like a saint,” referring to the congressman expelled from Congress last year.
Drew Sexton, Boebert’s campaign manager, stated that voters supported Boebert because they viewed her political obstinance as fulfilling campaign promises and her apologies as genuine. “She’s shown that she’s contrite. She is committed to doing things better for her personally, and she’s absolutely making the right votes,” he said.
The trend of replacing traditional Republicans with MAGA adherents is not unique to Colorado. Seth Masket, director of the Center on American Politics in Denver, noted, “Some of them have tried to fight it and some of them have just decided to resign, and for the most part, they are replaced with people who are much more loyal to Donald Trump. That’s very consistent with the direction of the party.”
While Boebert leads by roughly 30% over the Republican runner-up with nearly all votes counted, more than half of the voters cast their ballots for one of the other five candidates. Masket pointed out that Boebert’s near loss in 2022 in a Republican-leaning district serves as a mixed lesson for other Republicans. “There’s maybe not that much of a price, but there is some price to be paid for acting in very brazen ways and for embracing Trump too much,” he said.
The race to fill Buck’s vacated seat is part of a broader trend in the GOP, where traditional Republicans are being replaced by candidates more aligned with Trump’s ideology. This shift is evident in other races across the country, including Utah, where Republican Sen. Mitt Romney’s retirement has drawn Rep. John Curtis into the GOP primary to succeed him, leaving Curtis’ seat open.
In Colorado, Boebert’s victory in the primary sets the stage for her likely win in the general election, given the district’s strong Republican lean. Her success underscores the ongoing transformation within the GOP, where loyalty to Trump remains a significant factor in primary elections.
As Boebert prepares to take over Buck’s seat, the implications for the GOP and Congress are profound. Her presence in the House is expected to further solidify the influence of Trump-aligned Republicans, potentially shaping the party’s direction and legislative priorities in the coming years.
Source: Associated Press, Colorado Politics
