Redistricting doesn’t bode well for Boebert

Preliminary maps drawn by the Colorado state legislature’s bipartisan redistricting committee are out and they could mean bad news for 3rd Congressional District Rep. Lauren Boebert. If she continues to make her home in Silt, Boebert could face a very tough reelection campaign next year.

Before the 2020 census, Colorado had seven congressional districts with the Democrats enjoying a 4-3 advantage. Census numbers tell us the state now deserves eight seats. A new district from Adams County to Greeley is being contemplated.

The new maps show CD3 essentially cut in two with the northern part extending all the way from the Utah border to and including the current Second District containing Boulder and Fort Collins. The southern section runs from Grand Junction to Pueblo.

That southern district will remain safely Republican. Grand Junction has always been a GOP stronghold and Pueblo has become one. Pueblo used to be a Democratic, blue collar, union city, but the decline of the steel industry and the general disaffection of the working class away from the party of FDR have turned it into more of a Colorado Springs-like redneck town.

CD2 is Joe Neguse’s district, a very popular Democrat with his name on some important pieces of legislation like the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, which would protect the Thompson Divide and other areas from oil and gas development. If his district is combined with the Republican-leaning northern CD3, Neguse isn’t likely to cede his seat.

What do you think Boebert’s chances are of carrying Boulder and Fort Collins? There’re a lot of educated voters there and Boebert’s base tends to be from the GED crowd. Hell, Boebert couldn’t even win Garfield County in last year’s election. If she wants to keep a seat, she’d better move to Grand Junction.

Fred Malo Jr.

Carbondale