Republicans challenging Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) for Colorado‘s congressional primary election are blasting her behavior at a New York gala in which she was allegedly drunk and admonished by former President Donald Trump‘s security detail.
Multiple witnesses at the New York Young Republican Club’s annual gala in Manhattan in December saw a server tell Boebert that they would not bring her any more alcohol because they believed she had been overserved, according to CNN. Boebert also allegedly attempted to take selfies with Trump, prompting his security detail to step in and tell her to stop, the witnesses said.
Though Boebert has not commented on the situation, her opponents running against her for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District had several reactions to the alleged behavior.
“I am the father [of] five daughters and ask them to have the utmost grace and behavior while in public and in private,” state Rep. Richard Holtorf, candidate for the 4th District, said to the Washington Examiner. “I am guided by the principle that says, ‘Don’t do anything that you could not talk to your grandmother about.’”
“Colorado needs a respectable member of Congress,” Holtorf added.
Another GOP candidate suggested Boebert attend a different kind of gathering.
“AA is available to alcoholics free of charge,” candidate Justin Schreiber told the Washington Examiner.
This is the latest scandal at Boebert’s doorstep, three months after she apologized for her disruptive behavior at a production of Beetlejuice at a theater in Denver. She said in September that she was a “little too eccentric,” but patrons reported that she and her male guest were vaping and taking flash photos during the performance.
“While none of my actions or words as a private citizen that night were intended to be malicious or meant to cause harm, the reality is they did, and I regret that,” she said at the time.
Boebert is one of eight GOP primary candidates running to replace Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), who retired early from Congress on March 22. Last week, Colorado Republicans selected former Mayor Greg Lopez as their special election candidate to serve out the remainder of Buck’s term through the new year.
Given that Colorado’s 4th District is a solid red seat, Lopez will likely win the June 25 special election. However, Lopez plans to step down after the general election winner is sworn into office in January 2025, meaning Boebert will not need to face an incumbent as she runs against her primary candidates this summer.
Trump gave Boebert a full endorsement last month despite the incident occurring in December, with the congresswoman’s allies telling CNN it shows he is not bothered by the incident.
Joining Holtorf and Schreiber in running against Boebert are Deborah Flora, Ted Harvey, Mike Lynch, Chris Phelen, Jerry Sonnenberg, and Peter Yu. The Colorado Republican panel had narrowed their special election candidate decision to Sonnenberg and Lopez.
In a letter to the panel’s delegates ahead of the meeting, Boebert said they should select a placeholder so as not to “influence the regular primary election in a way that would taint the entire process and give this candidate an unfair leg up.”
Boebert’s lead in the race appears to be dwindling based on early polling. In a March 27-29 poll by Gravis Marketing, Boebert trailed Democratic candidate Ike McCorkle, 31% to 38%. However, against Sonnenberg, McCorkle trails, 18% to Sonnenberg’s 24%.
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A February 24 poll by Kaplan Strategies found Boebert with 32% of the vote, followed by Lynch with 7% and Holtorf, Flora, and Yu with 3%.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Boebert, Trump’s campaign, and Yu for comment.
