‘All I see is grandstanding’: ‘Combative’ Lauren Boebert draws a crowd of challengers after one term
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has drawn a host of challengers, including two fellow Republicans, after just over a year in office.
The Colorado Republican quickly rose to prominence for her embrace of conspiracy theories, including Donald Trump's baseless election fraud claims, and her bombastic social media persona and attention-grabbing antics, but her challengers says Boebert has focused more on her own needs than her district, reported the Aspen Daily News.
“The through-line in Congresswoman Boebert’s demeanor and legislative activity is the expression of urgent unmet survival needs that are rampant in our district,” said Kellie Rhodes, one of six Democratic challengers for Boebert's 3rd Congressional District seat.
Rhodes, who grew up on a Utah ranch and has worked in juvenile probation and other human-services roles, said Boebert reminded her of some of the young people she encountered in her work.
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“I worked with kids in youth treatment from her community and who grew up in the same environment," Rhodes said. "Many of those kids showed her exact behaviors — aggression, posturing, violent rhetoric, cruel name calling, manipulative storytelling. These behaviors provide a sensation of safety for kids who know they aren’t safe. Being the scariest, loudest or most armed person in the room helps create a semblance of safety in environments where any sign of weakness can put you at risk."
“This same theme can be seen in her legislative activity,” she continued. “While she has attempted to advance certain issues that are important to our constituents, such as maintaining energy jobs and protecting water rights, she does so with the same aggression and combativeness. She uses language that amps up the stakes in high-conflict issues."
Boebert has introduced 17 bills, but none of those have made it out of committee, and her opponents say she doesn't work hard enough to represent her constituents.
“Is she really even trying to get stuff passed?" said Don Coram, a veteran GOP state senator who's mounting a primary challenge to Boebert. "All I see is grandstanding.”
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Boebert has called the 73-year-old rancher and miner a "super woke liberal" in their primary campaign, but Coram said that demonstrated why she hasn't gotten much legislative work accomplished in a sharply divided House of Representatives.
“Yes, being in the minority creates a challenge to get legislation passed, but does not make it impossible,” Coram said. “During my time at the state legislature, I have served in both the majority and minority and have been successful in moving legislation forward. That happened because I took the time to build relationships and coalitions around the issues and left the politics out. More importantly, I have never found any benefit in lobbing personal attacks — getting in the face — at those that do not agree with me on issues. It is not productive."
That seems to be a common opinion among all eight of Boebert's announced challengers.
“She prefers to be on television, at Mar-a-Lago or tweeting insults instead of crafting bipartisan legislation that will benefit her district," said Democratic candidate Colin Wilhelm.
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