Another Democrat has declared for the race to unseat U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert.
Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout filed paperwork Thursday announcing her bid. She will face former Aspen City Council member Adam Frisch in the Democratic primary next summer.
“It’s no secret that Lauren Boebert has repeatedly failed to represent our values in Congress, and her only accomplishment has been making a name for herself as a member of the most extreme faction of her party,” Stout said in a statement. “Colorado’s 3rd congressional district deserves better. As the mayor of my hometown, the largest city in Western Colorado, I have a record of bringing people together to get things done and listening to the people I represent. I will take that same work ethic to Congress and build on my record of delivering real results for the hardworking people of our district.
Frisch came within 600 votes of beating Boebert in November and already holds a multimillion-dollar fundraising advantage over the incumbent.
Stout is in her second term on the Grand Junction City Council and currently serving as its president and mayor. She was unopposed in her April re-election bid. Stout is the founder and president of a nonprofit aimed at fostering Grand Junction’s sister city relationship with El Espino, El Salvador, and owner of a translation and interpretation company, according to her biography on the city’s website.
Boebert’s narrow 2022 victory in what should be a reliably Republican district, combined with her hardline conservatism and controversial comments, makes the seat a high priority for Democrats come 2024. Boebert’s campaign didn’t return a request for comment Wednesday.
And vice versa for Republicans, who will seek to defend a seat that’s currently key to their narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report ranks the race as a toss-up.
“While Anna Stout and Adam Frisch battle it out for who can go the farthest to the Left in their quest for the Democrat nomination, Republicans are delivering real results by creating jobs and protecting water rights in the district,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Delanie Bomar said in a statement. “It doesn’t matter who gets the Democrat nomination, they will be left broke, bruised and unpalatable for general election voters.”
Democrats Debby Burnett, Davi Karpas and Adam Withrow and Republican Russ Andrews have also declared their candidacy in the race. Burnett previously declared her candidacy in the 2022 race, but withdrew before the primary. None have reported raising more than $40,000 for this race, according to federal campaign finance records.
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