Several Republican candidates vying to represent Colorado's mostly rural 4th Congressional District went hard after U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert during a televised debate Thursday night, accusing her of accomplishing little during her more than three years in Congress and raising the question of whether she can prevail against a Democrat in November if nominated.
"You have passed nothing," state Rep. Mike Lynch said during a testy exchange with the congresswoman. Then turning to 9News moderators Kyle Clark and Marshall Zelinger, he said: "She has passed no legislation."
Rehashing a theme she has used before, former conservative radio host Deborah Flora criticized Boebert for switching congressional districts — from the 3rd to the 4th — late last year, saying she had "abandoned her neighbors in CD3."
"I'm not running from a seat — I'm running for this seat," Flora said.
Boebert, who easily has the strongest name recognition in the field of six Republicans and far and away leads in the campaign fundraising game, said she has helped shepherd legislation through various committees and put her mark on plenty of bills in Congress through offered amendments.
But when pressed by state Rep. Richard Holtorf of Akron to count how many bills she sponsored that have actually become law, she conceded that only her Pueblo Jobs Act bill had made it that far.
"That is one," she said.
Boebert, in turn, threw a punch at Lynch on the issue of illegal immigration. Lynch called the congresswoman's support of deporting people who are in the country illegally a "silly" idea, noting that the labor provided by those in the country without authorization is critical, especially in the 4th District's sprawling agricultural sector.
Lynch's stance, Boebert said, is an insult to those trying to enter the United States legally.
"Coming here the right way is the most precious thing our country offers," she said.
Boebert also characterized the wave of migrants crossing at the southern border as an "invasion" and said that if the federal government "can fly them in then they can fly them out."
The hour-long debate came less than a month before Colorado holds its primary for all eight of its congressional districts. Mail ballots for the June 25 primary election will start arriving at voters' homes next week.
Several Democrats also are competing in their party's primary election in the district, although the winner will have an uphill battle in such a heavily Republican-leaning district in November. Former Parker Mayor Greg Lopez is facing off against Democrat Trisha Calvarese, a political newcomer, on the same day in a special election to fill the seat through the end of former U.S. Rep. Ken Buck's term.
Buck resigned from Congress in March.
Thursday's debate revealed that Boebert stands alone in the 4th District's GOP field in defending her decision to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election that determined President Joe Biden to be the winner — an issue that was and still is ferociously contested by former President Donald Trump.
And on a day in which Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a scheme to influence the 2016 election illegally through hush-money payments to a porn actor who said the two had sex, all six Republican contenders on stage said they would still vote for Trump in November.
Weld County businessman Peter Yu was the only candidate on stage who said he did not support a Republican attempt to impeach Biden. He also took a less-staunch position on illegal immigration than some of his opponents.
"I do believe there should be a pathway to citizenship for those who have been here for an X number of years," said Yu, a son of Chinese immigrants to the United States.
Jerry Sonnenberg, a Logan County commissioner and former state legislator, said he would use the police and the National Guard to deport those in the country illegally, although he didn't specify how. He said the influx of illegal immigrants into the country has corresponded with a rise in crime, although he didn't provide specific numbers to support that assertion.
Clark asked Holtorf about his use of offensive language toward others in the legislature, and specifically of suggesting Boebert had dressed like a prostitute the night she was escorted from a musical at the Buell Theatre last fall. Holtorf said many of his past remarks had been misinterpreted but added that he thought women, particularly a sitting member of Congress, "need to dress responsibly and professionally."
The 4th Congressional District Republican field — except for Boebert — will next debate on Saturday at the Grizzly Rose as part of a series of debates sponsored by the Republican Women of Weld and the Lincoln Club of Colorado.
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