Rep. Lauren Boebert pushed back Wednesday against President Donald Trump after he threatened to support a Republican primary challenger against her, arguing that the move is no longer possible because Colorado’s filing deadline has already passed.
During an appearance with Chris Cuomo on NewsNation, Cuomo asked Boebert whether she believed she could politically survive if Trump ultimately turned against her.
Boebert responded by pointing out that the Republican primary in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District is effectively settled.
“Well, first of all, my election and my primary is settled. It is certified,” Boebert said. “There is no time for a write-in candidate.”
She added that despite Trump’s public call for a primary opponent, the legal and procedural deadlines have already passed, leaving her set for a direct matchup against the Democratic nominee in the general election.
“My Democrat opponent does not have a primary opponent either, so it is the two of us head-to-head for the rest of this cycle,” she said.
Trump’s threat came after Boebert publicly endorsed Rep. Thomas Massie in his Kentucky primary race against Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein. Massie had become one of the president’s most outspoken Republican critics on issues ranging from foreign policy to the release of files connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a fiery statement Saturday, Trump sharply criticized Boebert for supporting Massie.
“Boebert is campaigning for the Worst ‘Republican’ Congressman in the History of our Country, Thomas Massie,” Trump wrote, before suggesting he would gladly back another Republican candidate against her if one emerged.
“Even though I long ago endorsed Boebert, if the right person came along, it would be my Honor to withdraw that Endorsement, and endorse a good and proper alternative,” the president added.
But according to Colorado election rules, Republican candidates seeking to run in the state’s 4th Congressional District had until March 18 to file their candidacy. While the primary election is scheduled for June 30, Boebert is currently running unopposed on the Republican side.
Jena Griswold’s office has already certified the primary ballots, and county clerks reportedly mailed ballots to overseas voters over the weekend, further cementing the race’s current structure.
Colorado Newsline reported Tuesday that individuals not listed on the primary ballot who still wish to run in the November general election as write-in candidates must submit an affidavit of interest by July 16. However, that process would not create a Republican primary challenge to Boebert.
The dispute highlighted growing tensions inside the Republican Party as disagreements over loyalty to Trump, transparency surrounding the Epstein files, and America’s broader political direction continue to divide conservatives.
Boebert is now the third Republican member of Congress targeted by Trump after signing a discharge petition aimed at forcing the release of the Epstein files. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who also signed the petition, resigned her seat in January following repeated attacks from Trump.
Massie, meanwhile, lost his primary race this week to Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein after becoming one of the leading Republican voices pushing legislation to release the Epstein files and questioning aspects of the administration’s foreign policy posture.
The latest clash underscored the increasingly high political cost for Republicans willing to publicly diverge from Trump, particularly on issues tied to government transparency and growing unease among parts of the conservative base about continued political and international conflicts.
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