2022 has been an eventful year for U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO). The controversial Silt Republican freshman, up for reelection this year, won a sweeping victory in her GOP primary race, and was expected to do the same in the general election this November. Those expectations were turned on their heads on Election Day, as Boebert found herself locked in a tight race with her Democratic opponent Adam Frisch, which she would ultimately win by 551 votes – less than 1% of the total count.
The Colorado Times Recorder followed Boebert closely in 2022 and in prior years. Our reporting on Boebert this year has even been cited by multiple news outlets.
As 2022 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to look back at the Colorado Times Recorder’s coverage of Lauren Boebert this year.
‘They Want to Silence Us’ – Boebert Says Twitter Is Propaganda, Excited for Trump Social Media Site
January 10 – Appearing on KNUS conservative talk radio, Boebert told host Randy Corporon that she believes Twitter — along with local news and mainstream media stations — to be “propaganda” while celebrating rival alternative social media sites, including Donald Trump’s Truth Social, which would be released a few months later. She claimed that agents of government are currently bribing and coercing journalists, media outlets, and social media companies in order to undermine conservative messaging.
BRIEF: Boebert Falsely Says Dems Are Funding “Crack Pipes”
February 14 – Repeating a story from anonymous sources quoted in conservative media, Boebert falsely asserted that Democrats are funding “crack pipes.”
Boebert Agrees She’s a Fan of Florida Governor DeSantis
February 15 – During a KHOW Denver radio interview, Boebert appeared to agree with host Ryan Schuiling when he said both of them are “enormous fans” of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Boebert has counted herself a close ally of Trump; but as of December, Trump has drawn battle lines between himself and “Ron DeSanctimonious,” who is anticipated to challenge him for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Indicted CO Clerk Says Boebert Dined With Conan Hayes The Day After He Copied Election Files
July 13 – Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters told a conference of extremist sheriffs that Conan Hayes, the man whom she permitted to copy her county’s election server files, had dinner with her and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert the next day.
Boebert on Climate, Health Care Bill: ‘Easiest No Vote Yet … on Green New Deal Crap’
August 10 – Boebert, who in 2021 belatedly revealed her husband is a high-paid oil and gas consultant, said on Twitter she would vote against the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its largest ever, $369 billion investment in renewable energy. Colorado’s Western Slope, part of which Boebert represents, is considered a climate change hotspot, with temperatures in some areas already warming 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit – more than twice the national average for manmade heating — according to scientists.
First Debate Between Lauren Boebert, Adam Frisch Heated, Humorous at Times
September 11 – During her introductory remarks and throughout the debate, Boebert railed against fellow Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. She mentioned the Speaker of the House about a dozen times. Frisch began his introductory remarks by stating, “I’m Adam Frisch, not Nancy Pelosi,” a refrain he used throughout the debate.
Colorado Politicians Address Christian Fundamentalists in Woodland Park
September 13 – Boebert joined a lineup of GOP politicians and evangelical influencers at Andrew Wommack’s 2022 Truth and Liberty Conference.
“We are not one piece of legislation away from fixing this country,” said Boebert. “We need God back at the center of our country. We need revival in our communities. We need revival in the hearts of our children. We need revival in the hearts of our neighbors.”
Two months later, following the deadly shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Wommack would condemn homosexuality as a tool of ‘Satan.’
‘The Federal Government Should Get the Heck Out of This,’ Boebert on Abortion, Christian Nationalism
September 21 – Boebert claimed the federal government should “get the heck out of” legislating abortion access. Her remarks echoed the actions of many Republicans this election cycle attempting to walk back or erase mentions on their websites of their radical anti-abortion stances.
October 4 – Boebert spoke at a Mesa County Republican Women luncheon, where she claimed Durango schools are “putting litter boxes in schools for people who identify as cats.” She added her name to the growing list of right-wingers repeating lies about furries’ official recognition in schools.
Our coverage of Boebert’s comments was cited by NBC News: “How an Urban Myth About Litter Boxes in Schools Became a Talking Point.”
As Her Race Tightens in CO, Boebert Takes Friends & Family to Mar-A-Lago
October 26 – With less than two weeks to go before Election Day and her lead in the polls unexpectedly dwindling, Boebert flew to Mar-A-Lago with her family and friends for a visit — presumably a fundraiser — with former President Donald Trump. Reached for comment, Democratic candidate Adam Frisch said Boebert “routinely ignores her district as she jet sets across the country.”
Court Still Has No Record of Payment for Boebert’s 2017 Debt, Fines, Interest, & Fees
October 29 – In response to a records request from the Colorado Times Recorder, the Garfield County, Colorado, Court stated through a spokesperson that it has no record of U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-CO) restaurant — which closed this year — paying a debt assessed by Judge Jonathan Prototsky in 2017.
Boebert Inches Into Lead Over Adam Frisch in U.S. House Race
November 11 – After vote counts for the hotly contested U.S. House seat dragged on several days, Boebert overtook Adam Frisch with a narrow lead. Ultimately, she would win reelection by just a few hundred votes – a much smaller margin than previously anticipated.
Following Frisch’s concession, ABC News cited our coverage of the race this year: ”Lauren Boebert’s Democratic opponent concedes in tight Colorado race.”
