About a week after she announced she would drop her bid to be re-elected in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District to instead run in another part of the state, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert had a message for those in her district who planned to vote for her: “This is best.”

The congresswoman said she made the decision largely based on the flood of cash pouring into her Democratic opponent’s campaign fund.

“It’s pretty easy to read the tea leaves,” she said. “I’m not going to risk the representation that conservatives have in CD3. It’s not worth the chance.”

Boebert, who will now run to represent the 4th Congressional District on the opposite end of the state, was referring to the massive fundraising by Democrat Adam Frisch, who would have likely been her opponent in the general election assuming she survived a challenge in the Republican primary. Boebert defeated Frisch by only 546 votes in 2022. 

Asked if the move to the 4th district race came because she believed she would lose her re-election bid, Boebert said: “I’m not going to let Democrats find out.” 

Frisch’s fundraising, which has largely been driven by him positioning himself as the alternative to Boebert, could also hurt conservatives in other races in the 3rd district, a spokesperson for Boebert said.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are required by the U.S. Constitution to live in the state they represent but not necessarily the district. Boebert is a Garfield County resident but said she plans to move somewhere in the 4th district this year. 

Boebert’s fundraising efforts, amounting to about $2.4 million, have been dwarfed by Frisch’s $8.6 million so far. Still, under federal campaign finance laws, she will be able to take her unused campaign fund, which amounts to about $1.4 million, and use it in her campaign to represent the 4th district. 

“Donations for my campaign are for my re-election and I will continue to represent CD3 as well as all of Colorado and all of America,” she said about the donations. 

Donald Banner is a Pueblo attorney who donated $4,000 to Boebert’s campaign.

“I think it was smart that she switched districts,” he said. “I have no problem with her spending the campaign money in the District 4 campaign.” 

Glenn Pauls, a Durango resident and co-owner of a master-planned community there, and his wife combined donated nearly $14,000 to Boebert’s re-election campaign. 

Though he was a little surprised when he heard the news of Boebert’s district change, Pauls said he’s also OK with her using his donation to win in another region.

“The last thing we’d want is for her to stay somewhere she can’t win,” he said. 

Pauls added he doesn’t agree with people who have said Boebert is moving districts just so she can stay in Congress. 

“I don’t think she actually wants to be in Washington; she’s doing it because she knows she needs to help straighten out what’s going on,” he said. 

In an interview, Boebert said she feels a responsibility to complete her duty in the role.

“This isn’t about holding onto power or staying in office alone,” she said. “This is about holding onto our freedom.”

CD3’s next representation

Boebert said she’s undecided about whether she will endorse someone in the 3rd Congressional District’s primary election but she expects more people to enter the race.

“I certainly want a strong conservative to step up,” she said. 

Jeff Hurd, a Grand Junction attorney, was closest behind Boebert in fundraising before her swap and has received several endorsements from prominent Republicans in the state, including Former Gov. Bill Owens, former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, state Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen and state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer. 

Former state lawmaker Ron Hanks, an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump, recently announced he would enter the race as well.

State Rep. Matt Soper, a Delta Republican, said previously he was considering entering the race but Friday morning said he had decided against it.

“We assembled a great team and amassed a competitive war chest, but ultimately decided the shortened calendar, which conflicts with the legislative calendar, is challenging,” he said. 

Other candidates in the primary include Carbondale investor Russ Andrews, David Karpas and Jason Bias. 

The primary election will be June 25.