U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn gained’t run for reelection this yr to a tenth time period in Congress, the Colorado Springs Republican introduced Friday, a choice that’s sure to ignite a fierce race to switch him in Colorado’s fifth Congressional District.
“I feel it’s time for a brand new chapter in my life,” Lamborn instructed The Colorado Solar in an interview Friday morning. “I wish to do issues with my spouse and my youngsters and my grandkids. It simply looks as if it’s the best time.”
Lamborn’s transfer signifies that all three of Colorado’s GOP-held congressional districts might be open in November.
U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Windsor, is retiring from his 4th Congressional District seat. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Garfield County, introduced final week that she was abandoning her third Congressional District reelection bid to run for Buck’s seat, which is extra favorable to Republicans.
Boebert filed paperwork with the Federal Election Fee this week making the transfer official. Drew Sexton, her marketing campaign supervisor, stated she wouldn’t run within the fifth District.
Democrats management Colorado’s 5 different congressional districts.
The fifth Congressional District is completely in El Paso County. It leans 20 proportion factors within the GOP’s favor, in response to an evaluation of election outcomes from 2016 to 2020 within the district performed by nonpartisan legislative employees. Lamborn gained reelection in 2022 by 16 proportion factors.
Solely Colorado’s 4th District is taken into account extra favorable to the GOP.
Lamborn has fended off a lot of Republican major challengers since first being elected in 2006. Most just lately, he defeated three major opponents in 2022, together with then-state Rep. Dave Williams, who’s now chairman of the Colorado GOP.
Earlier than being elected to Congress, Lamborn, a fierce opponent of abortion who has centered his work in Washington on army points, served within the state legislature from 1995 by the top of 2006.
Lamborn first introduced his determination Friday on the Richard Randall Present on KVOR, a conservative discuss radio station in southern Colorado.
Lamborn is the thirty eighth member of the U.S. Home to announce their retirement when their present time period ends or who’ve determined to run for a distinct workplace in 2024. One other seven Home members have just lately left Congress or are leaving earlier than their phrases are up.
“I really feel like I’ve completed lots of the objectives that I got down to do,” Lamborn instructed The Solar, “and the newest one was protecting House Command in Colorado Springs.”
However his years in workplace weren’t with out some controversy.
Considered one of Lamborn’s former staffers sued the congressman in 2021, claiming Lamborn did not observe security protocols throughout the COVD-19 pandemic and alleging Lamborn used workplace assets for private profit. Congressional ethics investigators concluded there was “substantial motive” to conclude Lamborn misused official assets.
Lamborn denied the allegations. He settled the lawsuit in early 2023 and it seems the Home Committee on Ethics by no means acted on its investigation.
5 Democrats had filed to run for Lamborn’s seat as of Friday, however Lamborn was the one Republican within the race.
As a result of the fifth District is so dominated by the GOP, and since Lamborn has had so many major challengers up to now, there are a number of Republicans already eyeing the seat.
Eli Bremer, a former Olympian who additionally as soon as served as chair of the El Paso County GOP, stated he was “contemplating all choices.”
“I used to be stunned by Congressman Lamborn’s determination this morning,” Bremer, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate 2022, stated in a textual content to The Solar. “He has represented our district effectively and with distinction and might be missed.”
Jason Dunn, Colorado’s former Trump-appointed U.S. Lawyer, stated in a put up on X, the social media website previously referred to as Twitter, that the Colorado GOP “is actually at an inflection level.” He stated this yr “will decide whether or not Colorado Republicans have an actual voice in Congress and a future in main Colorado, or whether or not they’re relegated to antagonist backbenchers and laughing-stocks.”
It is a creating story that might be up to date.
