Lauren Boebert claims victory over Trisha Calvarese in Colorado's 4th Congressional District race
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert claimed victory on election night in Colorado, and CBS News projects she'll be in Congress again next term -- she'll just be representing a different constituency of Coloradans.
The Republican ran against Democrat Trisha Calvarese in Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Calvarese called Boebert to concede less than two hours before polls closed. Boebert decided last year she would leave the 3rd Congressional District after two terms there and run for the open seat in the 4th, a district with a stronger Republican base. Nearly a year later, she appears to have achieved her goal.
With 89% of the vote counted, Boebert had 53% of the vote.
"Tonight is the night that we take Colorado back, that we save America, not just for us today or tomorrow but for our children and our children's children. They depend on all of the work that you have been putting in to let people know that if they sit on the sidelines and do not participate, if they do not vote, if they remain silent, we all lose by default and have the government that we deserve," Boebert said.
Calvarese said she was encouraged by the numbers despite the loss. The margin was close enough that she says she might return for a potential rematch.
"Look at the progress we made tonight, with limited resources in a presidential year," she said. "I am running for everybody beyond party, so I am so excited for potentially the next cycle and seeing what's next."
Boebert left CD3, which includes much of western Colorado and Pueblo, and now calls Windsor home. She says she's excited to represent CD4, which includes Douglas County, the city of Loveland and most of the Eastern Plains.
Immigration issues figured strongly into the campaign of Boebert, who is a loyalist to former President Donald Trump. During a conversation with CBS Colorado Political Reporter Shaun Boyd, Boebert was asked if she supports mass deportations.
"Do you support mass deportations? And what would that look like? How would you accomplish that?" Boyd asked.
"Yes, I am for mass deportation. Of course, you have to start somewhere, and starting with criminal aliens is an easy yes. But even further than that, in states like Colorado where we have sanctuary policies, those need to be done away with," Boebert said. "Maybe there's a role in the federal government to say 'States you don't get this funding if you have these policies,' or maybe there's some sort of legislation that we can do there. But in Colorado, our (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents are unable to coordinate and communicate with our local governments and law enforcement, and that's a problem.
"So when we have at least five counties suing the state over these sanctuary policies because they aren't able to coordinate with ICE agents. That is something that needs to be addressed immediately, and that's one way that we can start removing criminal aliens from our country."
In June, CD3 voters chose Boebert out of a crowded field in the Republican primary. She won with 43% of the vote.