The path to reelection for Lauren Boebert, the far-right Republican congresswoman from Colorado, could soon become a lot harder. A new map proposed by Colorado’s nonpartisan redistricting committee could force Boebert to compete against Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) in his safely Democratic district.
The proposed map is part of the once-per-decade redistricting process that follows each Census. The Denver Post explains what happens next:
It’s the first test of the commission model approved by voters in 2018. Staff had released a possible congressional map in June, but Friday’s was its first drawn off the official, newly released Census data that is required to be used for redistricting.
The map will be followed by a series of hearings, along with a map of state legislative districts. Both may change significantly in the weeks to come, as the commission races to meet an end-of-the-month deadline to approve maps.
Boebert has a long record of boosting right-wing conspiracy theories. She played a prominent role in promoting Donald Trump’s baseless claims about the election being stolen. And as Mother Jones reported in November, she plays more than a little footsie with QAnon conspiracists:
In May, she told a podcast, “Everything that I’ve heard of Q, I hope that this is real. Because it only means that America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values.” Boebert has since said that she is “not a follower of QAnon.”
The new map wouldn’t necessarily mean the end of Boebert’s political career. If it is made final, she could still choose to run in another district instead of challenging Neguse.