Well aware of President Donald Trump’s long-running feud with Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie — a fellow Republican who has repeatedly worked to undermine his agenda — Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) last week endorsed Massie in what is shaping up to be an increasingly difficult reelection battle.
Following her appearance at a Massie rally, she posted side-by-side photos of herself with Massie and with Trump on X, writing:
Below is my friend Thomas Massie. He loves America and is fighting to save it.Also below is my friend and President, Donald Trump. He’s put his life on the line to save this great country.I support both of these men. I’ve worked with both to preserve freedom and liberty.And if that makes you angry, bless your heart.
Suffice it to say, Boebert’s post did not sit well with Trump, who fired back with a post of his own, threatening to back a primary challenger against her. Calling Boebert a “Carpetbagger,” Trump reminded followers that she moved to a new district when “it became obvious that she couldn’t win in her original” one, and urged someone to step forward to challenge her in a primary.
He concluded, “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. Just let me know, or announce your Candidacy, and I will be there for you!”
Minutes later, he took aim at close Massie ally Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who was also stumping for Massie and Boebert in a new post. Noting that he had won the state in 2024 by 31 points, he called Massie “a disloyal, ungracious, and sanctimonious FOOL, who almost never votes for even the best of Republican Values,” and touted his opponent in the race, Ed Gallrein. He wrote:
The man running against Massie, Ed Gallrein, is a true American Patriot, a Farmer from Kentucky, and a Military Hero. He is loyal, and MAGA all the way — VOTE FOR ED GALLREIN, AND WIPE AWAY THE STENCH OF ONE OF THE WORST CONGRESSMEN IN THE HISTORY OF OUR GREAT PARTY, THOMAS MASSIE. MAYWE NEVER HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIM AGAIN!
Boebert was first elected to Congress in 2020 after defeating incumbent Republican Scott Tipton in the GOP primary and then winning the general election with roughly 51% of the vote. Two years later, in one of the closest House races of the 2022 cycle, she held onto Colorado’s Third Congressional District by just 546 votes.
And, as Trump noted, Boebert relocated to a different district — Colorado’s Fourth — ahead of the 2024 election and won handily.
Although Colorado leans blue statewide, its rural regions remain heavily Republican. According to Ballotpedia, the Cook Partisan Voting Index for Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District has ranged from R+9 to R+13 over the past decade, making it a district a credible Republican candidate would ordinarily be expected to win.
Personally, I’ve never been particularly fond of Boebert. She drew national attention during former President Joe Biden’s March 2022 State of the Union address, when she and her then-pal, Marjorie Taylor Greene — both freshman members of Congress at the time — repeatedly heckled him from the House chamber. The most widely criticized moment came when Biden was discussing veterans exposed to military burn pits and referencing his late son, Beau Biden. Boebert interrupted by shouting, “You put them in. Thirteen of them!” — a reference to the 13 U.S. service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
She again made national headlines in September 2023 for her behavior during a performance of the musical Beetlejuice in Denver. Boebert and a male companion were escorted from the theater following complaints from audience members about vaping, singing, recording the performance, and engaging in intimate behavior.
Reports indicated that Boebert resisted removal and invoked her status as a public official, allegedly saying, “Do you know who I am?” and referencing the mayor.
Boebert later apologized, acknowledging that her conduct had fallen short of expectations and attributing the incident in part to the stress surrounding her divorce.
The episode received wall-to-wall coverage on cable news and social media and became one of the defining public-relations setbacks of her congressional career.
Trump’s endorsement power remains formidable, but turning that firepower against one of his own most visible ideological allies carries risks — especially in a safely Republican district where many voters may see the feud as personal rather than principled. If this fight escalates into a genuine primary battle, it could become an early test of whether absolute loyalty to Trump now matters more to Republican voters than years of unwavering support for his movement.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn.
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