Debate between Lauren Boebert and five other Colorado CD4 ...
By Shaun Boyd
Updated on: May 17, 2024 / 1:40 PM MDT / CBS Colorado
Expect "fireworks" at debate between Lauren Boebert, 5 other Colorado congressional hopefuls
While the general election is still five-and-a-half months away, Colorado's primary elections are just five weeks away. Ballots will begin to arrive in Coloradans' mailboxes in the first week of June, and one week before that CBS News Colorado will be hosting a Voters Decide Congressional District 4 Republican primary debate.
Six candidates are running for the seat vacated by Ken Buck. Rep. Lauren Boebert got top line on the ballot at the Republican assembly. She currently represents Colorado's 3rd Congressional District but this year is running in the 4th. The other candidates are Deborah Flora, Jerry Sonnenberg, Richard Holtorf, Michael Lynch and Peter Yu.
"We'll see if any one of the other five candidates can break out of the pack to be the main challenger to Boebert," CBS Colorado political analysts Dick Wadhams, a Republican, said.
"I would think that she would be the target in this. She's the frontrunner. She's got a hardcore 30% to 35% floor, which is enough to win a six-way primary."
Wadhams expects the five candidates besides Boebert will go on the attack in the debate in an effort to stand out.
"They're going to have to. They have nothing to lose at this point. She's going to win this primary unless something changes the dynamics of this race," Wadhams said.
CBS Colorado political analyst Mike Dino, a Democrat, agreed.
Watch Left, Right, Center on Fridays at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the CBS News Colorado stream. Political Specialist Shaun Boyd is joined by political analysts -- usually Republican Dick Wadhams and Democrat Mike Dino -- for a weekly discussion about Colorado politics."One of them has got to look like they're competitive against Lauren Boebert," Dino said.
Wadhams predicts there will be plenty of tense moments during the debate.
"So there'll be some fireworks, you think?" CBS Colorado Political Specialist Shaun Boyd asked Wadhams.
"I would hope so. There should be," Wadham said with a chuckle.
