Conservative radio host Deborah Flora has launched a campaign for Rep. Ken Buck’s soon-to-be vacant House seat in eastern Colorado.
In the wake of Buck’s surprise announcement that he would not be seeking reelection in 2024, several other conservatives have already thrown their hats into the ring for the congressional district’s Republican primary. Buck listed one of his reasons for stepping down as his frustration with GOP election deniers; and although Flora has avoided explicitly answering the question of whether the 2020 election was stolen, she has made comments casting doubt on its legitimacy.
Buck’s district, encompassing the eastern half of Colorado, is solidly red—the understanding being that whichever Republican wins the nomination, wins the seat.
This is Flora’s second Republican primary campaign in as many years. Last year she ran for U.S. Senate, but failed to make the primary ballot after coming up just short at the state assembly, missing the 30% threshold by a single percentage point. She built a local reputation for herself through advocating for parental rights in schools as well as working in radio for over a decade. Originally from Aurora, she has often drawn from her experience as Miss Colorado (and the runner-up to Miss America) and a trip she took to Eastern Germany which she says framed her political views.
“My love of this country went into hyperdrive when I went to the Soviet Union and East Germany” Flora said on KCOL on Monday. “When they were still both firmly in the grasp of communist hands. That’s when I realized that there is a palpable absence of freedom [in the world].”
Since announcing her candidacy on Monday, Flora has made a host of appearances on local conservative radio, highlighting her history of fighting for parental rights through her founding of the non-profit Parents United America and producing the documentary Whose Children Are They? According to the film’s trailer, the 2022 documentary takes up issues of the supposed use of Critical Race Theory in schools, the corruption of public education, and children being taught “X-rated sex acts.” The film perpetuates anti-LGBT misinformation such as claiming that LGBT people are child predators by claiming that any call for discussion or representation of LGBT people in the classroom is “grooming.”
Drawing attention to her involvement with school policy, Flora also mentioned on KCOL her role in “flip[ing] a school board in Douglas County” and writing “curriculum transparency legislation.”
On the same show, Flora also argued for the national concerns of her platform. “What has been going on under the Biden administration has certainly just heated up my desire to go and push back on the out-of-control spending,” said Flora. “The overreach of government, the devastating policies of the Biden administration with an open border…now that we’re no longer energy independent or net energy exporters, we are now funding our enemies.”
Earlier today Flora received the endorsement of former Lt. Governor Jane Norton, who lost the 2010 U.S. Senate GOP primary to Buck in 2010.
With her announcement she joins Trent Leisy and the recently declared State Rep. Richard Holtorf (R-Akron) in vying for the vacant House seat. The field may continue to grow as several other prominent GOP members are toying with running in 2024, such as Colorado General Assembly Minority Leader Mike Lynch (R-Wellington).
