The Republicans running to replace Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) seem to be largely cut from the same cloth, according to analysis of a debate between GOP contenders.
The firebrand conservative lawmaker changed districts to avoid facing Democrat Adam Frisch in a rematch of the race she narrowly won in 2022, and five of the eight GOP candidates vying to replace her appeared last week at a debate sponsored by the conservative group Stand for the Constitution, reported Colorado Public Radio.
“It was three weeks ago tonight, out of the blue, Lauren Boebert gave me a phone call. Sorry fellas, she said that I was her favorite,” joked candidate Russ Andrews. “Lauren and I have pretty much identical policies.”
Boebert rarely came up at the Feb. 12 event at Appleton Christian Church, but the candidates had mostly positive things to say about her.
“To me, it was obvious that if Ms. Boebert, as nice a lady as she is, if she were to be our candidate, she would lose,” said Joe Granado, who entered the race this month.
Three candidates missed the event — Austin O'Connell and Davis Karpas, who haven't done much campaigning yet, and likely frontrunner Jeff Hurd, who began earning endorsements before Boebert switched districts.
“(Hurd) believes that the urban divide is crushing our district and it feels like our best export has become our children," said Hurd supporter Nova Tucker, who read a statement on his behalf at the event. "They grow up, they leave home to find careers and raise their family somewhere else."
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Ultra-conservative state Rep. Ron Hanks, who moved to the district after Boebert left, drew some attacks from Stephen Varela, a former Democrat who serves on the Colorado Board of Education, but the legislator tried to establish his credentials as a true believer.
“I've been a conservative my whole life," Hanks said. "I will fight for that until the end. If people don't want to vote for that, I am perfectly happy getting back to the things that need to get done, which are getting ready for the 9/11 moment and the civil war that this miserable, unelected, demented resident in the White House has set us up for."
