Thursday, December 28, 2023

Democrat declares pro-rural stance (whatever that means)

Colorado Public Radio was just one media outlet covering last night's news that Colorado congresswoman Lauren Boebert would be abandoning the state's 3d congressional district and running instead in the 4th.  Boebert was barely re-elected to her seat in the 3d district, which covers essentially the western half of the state and all of the so-called Western slope.  It also includes the city of Pueblo in south central Colorado.  It's an area featuring a lot of rural gentrification.  The 4th district, now represented by Ken Buck who has announced his retirement, covers the state's eastern plains and a little slice of the front range, including Castle Rock and Parker, in Douglas County, not far south of (and arguably part of) greater Denver.   The 4th district is more dominated by agriculture, while the third is more dominated by tourism, though it certainly features significant agricultural enterprises, as in the San Luis Valley.  

Boebert was being challenged in the third district by Adam Frisch, formerly a member of the Aspen City Council and a businessman.  Frisch narrowly lost to Boebert in the 2022 race.  Colorado Public Radio reported this from Frisch, responding to Boebert's announcement and the likelihood he'll face a somewhat more moderate candidate in the general election.  That occurrence is likely going to make it more difficult for Frisch to prevail in the race:

[I]n a statement, Frisch remained positive about his chances. “From Day 1 of this race, I have been squarely focused on defending rural Colorado’s way of life, offering common sense solutions to the problems facing the families of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. My focus remains the same.”

Given that Frisch had made a living off rural gentrification in Apsen, it would be interesting to know what he means by "rural Colorado's way of life."  

Here's the New York Times coverage of Boebert's decision; it also quotes Frisch's statement.

Here's some commentary from the summer of 2023 about Governor Jared Polis' alienation of rural Colorado:  "because he can."  

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