Lauren Boebert is a right-wing congressional candidate who, on Tuesday, defeated five-term Rep. Scott Tipton in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District primary, despite Tipton having President Trump‘s endorsement.
Boebert’s campaign is largely centered on her fervent belief in gun rights, and she is also an apparent supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theory. Last month another QAnon believer, Marjorie Taylor Greene, also won a Republican Congressional primary in Georgia.
Boebert, 33, will take on Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush in the November primary election, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has warned of her “extremist, dangerous conspiracy theories,” CNN reported.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Boebert is Extremely Pro-Gun, Wearing One on Her Hip in Campaign Ads & Warning of So-Called ‘Left-Wing Lunatics’ Like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Getty/Emily KaskLauren Boebert aims a pistol, with suppressor, at a gun store in Rifle, Colorado, in 2018.
Boebert made her first appearance on the national stage in 2019 when she confronted former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke on his vow during the campaign, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47.”
Boebert asked O’Rourke how a five-foot mother like herself was supposed to defend her family against armed burglars and insisted that the right to bear arms “shall not be infringed on in America.”
On her campaign website, she touts her belief in “personal freedom, citizen rights and upholding the Constitution of the United States.” Like many of the new class of GOP Congressional candidates, she also frequently raises the specter of socialism and refers to the Green New Deal and proposals for a single-payer healthcare system as “crazy ideas.”
2. She Owns a Restaurant Called Shooter’s Grill in Rifle, Colorado, Where Servers Carry Firearms & Customers Are Encouraged to Do the Same
Boebert and her husband, Jayson, have owned and operated Shooter’s Grill in the town of Rifle since 2013. The restaurant’s chief distinction is that its waitresses openly carry firearms and patrons are encouraged to, as well.
In a 2014 CNN interview, Boebert said she was unconcerned about potential accidents or criminals entering her restaurant; all staff are required to keep their guns holstered and with the safeties on. “There’s no accidents that are going to happen. There’s no such thing these days,” she said.
Boebert added that in the event of a robbery or violent incident, she had faith that her armed patrons would rise to the situation.
“We have so many patrons here that carry and would stand up for my girls that we wouldn’t even need to do anything,” she said.
The restaurant serves classic American fare, like steaks, burgers and sandwiches — many given firearm-related names like “Six-shooter” and “Bump Stock.”
3. Boebert Said She Believes the QAnon Conspiracy Theory — Which Involves a Cannibalistic, Child-Sacrificing Cabal of Democratic Politicians — Is Making America ‘Stronger & Better’
We can now add Lauren Boebert to the ever-growing list of QAnon supporters who are running for Congress. t.co/VJbFGkYKLx
Boebert’s primary win raised many eyebrows Tuesday because of her interest in the QAnon conspiracy theory.
In a May interview with QAnon supporting commentator Ann Vandersteel, Boebert said she was “very familiar with” the theory. “I hope it is real, because it only means America is getting stronger and better,” she said.
YouTubeA screenshot of the QAnon video uploaded by a YouTube channel connected to Jaselskis.
Boebert joins the company of Georgia and Oregon GOP candidates Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jo Rae Perkins, who also have expressed their support of the bizarre conspiracy theory — which, in part, posits that Trump is orchestrating a plan to liberate the world from a cabal of Satanic Democratic and Hollywood elites who sacrifice children.
Heavy asked Boebert about her apparent support of the conspiracy theory. In a statement, she denied “following” QAnon, but referenced the “Deep State” undermining Trump — a pillar of the theory.
4. President Trump Endorsed Her Opponent, Incumbent Scott Tipton, But Tweeted His Congratulations to Boebert on Tuesday
GettyU.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the Rose Garden of the White House on June 24, 2020 in Washington, DC.
In December, President Trump gave Tipton his “Complete and Total Endorsement” in a Tweet, citing his support for gun rights and Trump’s Mexican border wall.
Congressman @ScottRTipton is a great supporter of the #MAGA Agenda! He fights for your #2A rights and the Border Wall. Scott is working hard for Colorado and has my Complete and Total Endorsement!
Trump’s Tweet came soon after Boebert announced she would launch a primary challenge against Tipton, Colorado Politics reported.
Boebert claimed that she was the true Trump Republican soon after, questioning whether the president had been “briefed” on Tipton’s record, Colorado Public Radio reported.
In a Tweet, she boasted that Bikers for Trump, a 200,000 member-strong organization, had endorsed her.
However, when Boebert beat Tipton in a 55-45 percent upset, Trump congratulated her.
Boebert thanked Trump on Twitter, adding, “Freedom is a great motivator!”
5. National Republican Officials Had No Interest in Disavowing Boebert Because of Her Tacit Support of QAnon
New: The NRCC is standing by Lauren Boebert, the QAnon supporter who just upset GOP Rep. Scott Tipton in Colorado’s 3rd District.
Spox says the DCCC, which called on them to disavow Boebert, should disavow Pelosi and Schiff for pushing conspiracy theories about Trump –>
Wednesday morning, officials at the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee condemned Congressional Republicans for embracing Boebert, noting that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called to congratulate her. Listing a number of the more outré QAnon beliefs, they demanded Republicans call her out.
“Kevin McCarthy and Washington Republicans’ actions have repeatedly made it clear that hate has a welcome home in their caucus,” DCCC spokeswoman Robyn patterson said in a statement. “But choosing to stand behind this dangerous and despicable nonsense is a new level of recklessness. If they care about the future of their party, every single member of the Republican caucus should call out this recklessness.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Huffington Post politics reporter Kevin Robillard said Tuesday night that the National Republican Congressional Committee declined to disavow Boebert, instead attacking Congressional Democrats for the probe into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.
“We’ll get back to you when [DCCC Chair] Cheri Bustos and the DCCC disavow dangerous conspiracy theorists like Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff, who have pushed without evidence their wild-eyed claims that the President of the United States of America is actually a secret Russian double-agent under control of the Kremlin,” RCC spokesman Bob Salera said.
When reached for comment by Heavy, Boebert said she believed the “Deep State” has been undermining Trump, but distanced herself from the QAnon theory specifically.
“I’m glad [Inspector General Michael Horowitz] and [Attorney General Bill Barr] are investigating deep state activities that undermine the President,” she said in a statement. “I don’t follow QAnon.”
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