Defiant Lauren Boebert to run ad in tight Colorado House race during NCAA final
Rep. Lauren Boebert is using the high-profile game night to stake her claim in the crowded primary to replace retired Rep. Ken Buck in Colorado.
FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., is launching a new advertisement during the NCAA men’s basketball championship game on Monday night.
It’s a defiant signal that she’s not backing down from what’s expected to be a competitive fight for the Republican nomination for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. Former President Trump won the deep red district by more than 10 points in 2020, and whoever wins the June 25 primary is the favorite to win the House seat in November.
The 30-second advertisement features Boebert and her youngest son, Roman. In the video, he asks her to "shoot some hoops," but Boebert declines with, "Sorry Roman, I can’t right now, I’m deciding what to say in my new campaign commercial."
"That’s easy, mom. Why don’t you just tell them about how you carry a gun and always fight for freedom?" her son said in the ad. "Did you tell them that you voted to cut spending, and increase American energy production? . . . You should probably also tell them that you passed bills to create Colorado jobs and to secure the border."
In keeping with the theme of Monday night’s primetime game, the clip ends with the pair playing basketball together.
Boebert, who currently represents the neighboring 3rd Congressional District, announced late last year that she would run for the much redder 4th district in 2024. It came a month after Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., announced that he would not seek re-election.
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It’s the first ad Boebert is playing in the district since Buck left Congress on March 22. Her first ad since Buck announced his plan to leave early on March 12 focused on her endorsement from Trump.
She told Fox News Digital of the TV spot, "This was such a fun ad to create with my youngest son Roman. I’m sure everyone who sees it will agree that our message of securing the southern border, cutting federal spending and increasing American energy production is a slam dunk."
Buck’s decision not to finish his full term was a temporary blow to Boebert’s re-election bid – a special election to replace him would have forced her to either leave her current seat early as well or face a short-term incumbent in late June.
But the threat eased when the Republican candidate – former Parker, Colorado, Mayor Greg Lopez – told Colorado Newsline that he’ll be a "placeholder" and will not run in the primary.
Monday’s new ad also appears to be Boebert’s way of keeping up a family-friendly conservative image even as she’s faced difficulties at home.
Her eldest son, Tyler Boebert, 18, was arrested in February in connection with a string of property thefts and vehicle trespassing incidents, the Rifle Police Department said at the time.
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"It breaks my heart to see my child struggling and, in this situation, especially when he has been provided multiple opportunities to get his life on track," she told Fox News Digital at the time. "I will never give up on him, and I will continue to be there for him. As an adult and father, Tyler will take responsibility for his actions and should be held accountable for poor decisions, just like any other citizen."
Earlier this year, her ex-husband, Jayson Boebert, was charged by authorities in connection with two domestic incidents, one of which involved the congresswoman at a restaurant. He was arrested and released the same day.
