Biography
Lauren Opal Boebert (/ˈboʊbərt/ BOH-bərt; née Roberts, December 19, 1986) is an American politician, businesswoman, and gun-rights activist. A member of the Republican Party, she serves as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 3rd congressional district. Born in Florida to parents who moved to Colorado when she was 12, Boebert dropped out of high school and, after a few years, started working for a drilling company, where she met her husband. Together they founded Shooters Grill, a restaurant in Rifle, Colorado, where staff members are encouraged to openly carry firearms.
Bobert is known for her gun rights advocacy, in particular after a confrontation with Beto O'Rourke over the policy on semi-automatic rifles. She launched a campaign for Colorado's 3rd congressional district in the 2020 election. Boebert unexpectedly defeated incumbent representative Scott Tipton in the primary election, after which she beat the Democratic nominee, former state representative Diane Mitsch Bush, in the general election. In Congress, Boebert associated herself with the conservative Republican Study Committee, the right-wing Freedom Caucus, of which she became the communications chair in January 2022, and the pro-gun Second Amendment Caucus. She has declared her candidacy for reelection in 2022.
A conservative often described in the press as far-right and an ally of former president Donald Trump,[2] Boebert had close ties with far-right groups such as QAnon, whose conspiracy theories she promotes, and praised the Proud Boys.[3] This, together with offensive remarks she has made to members of other religions, make her a controversial figure in Congress.
Boebert supports Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, voted to overturn its results during the Electoral College vote count, and supported the rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Boebert opposes measures intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and posted misinformation related to face masks and COVID-19 vaccines. She opposes transition to green energy, abortion, sex education, gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors, and non-heterosexual marriage. She supports an isolationist foreign policy and minimizing immigration to the United States.