Rep. Lauren Boebert’s political survival skills will be tested Tuesday when voters head to the polls for the Republican primary in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.
After scraping out a reelection victory two years ago in the 3rd Congressional District, the headline-grabbing Ms. Boebert decided to switch districts after Rep. Ken Buck resigned in March, opening up the seat in the more GOP-friendly 4th District.
Voters also will be tapping someone to fill the remainder of Mr. Buck’s two-year term, which ends in January.
Voters in neighboring Utah will take the first step toward replacing retiring Sen. Mitt Romney, the former GOP presidential nominee who is now an odd man out in the Trump-dominated Republican Party.
Ms. Boebert has been among the most divisive Trump-era figures on Capitol Hill.
She has gone through a messy divorce, the arrest of her oldest son for car break-ins and theft and garnered reams of bad press last fall after she was kicked out of the “Beetlejuice” musical in Denver after being accused of recording the show, vaping and causing a disturbance.
She initially downplayed the situation, but days later issued an apology after video footage showed her causing a stir.
It’s a crowded race.
State Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf, former conservative radio host Deborah Florda, former state Senate President Pro Tempore Jerry Sonnenberg and businessman Peter Yu are vying with Ms. Boebert for the party’s nod.
Ms. Boebert has vastly outraised her rivals and has the Trump seal of approval.
On the Democratic side, the nomination race features speechwriter Trisha Calvarese, Marine Corps veteran Ike McCorkle and engineer John Padora.
Republicans are favored to defend that House seat in the fall election.
Adam Frisch, the Democrat who nearly toppled Ms. Boebert two years ago, is running for her old seat.
Colorado voters also are picking party nominees to replace retiring Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn in the 5th Congressional District. Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo also will learn who her general election opponent is in the competitive 8th Congressional District, which is among the toss-up races this fall that could swing control of the House.
Ms. Caraveo, who in 2022 captured the district seat with 48% of the vote, will face off against the winner of the primary race between Rep. Gabe Evans and former state Rep. Janak Joshi.
Across state lines in Utah, polls show U.S. Rep. John Curtis leading the primary race to replace Mr. Romney.
Former Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives Brad Wilson is the candidate with the most money in the race: $3 million. Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs has Mr. Trump’s coveted support and business Jason Walton also has flashed some fundraising chops.
Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah is running for reelection. He is running against state Rep. Phil Lyman in the primary.
Utah Republicans are heavily favored to defend the Senate seat and governorship in November.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.