September 3rd 2024.
On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert and her Democratic opponent, Trisha Calvarese, engaged in a heated debate over various issues such as veterans care, the national debt, and Boebert's record in the 4th Congressional District race. This was the only scheduled debate between the two candidates.
Calvarese, a former speechwriter and labor activist, wasted no time in attacking Boebert's congressional record. She criticized Boebert for voting against a bill that included provisions to lower prescription drug prices and also questioned her stance on the Inflation Reduction Act proposed by President Joe Biden. Calvarese also called for an end to offshoring American manufacturing.
Boebert, who is seeking a third term and her first outside of the Western Slope-based 3rd Congressional District, defended her record. She reiterated her stance on cutting taxes, taking the country back, bringing back prosperity, and securing the southern border, which are all important issues for the Republican Party.
At one point, Boebert referred to American citizens born to undocumented immigrants as "anchor babies" and stated that they should not receive certain tax credit assistance. The debate, which was co-hosted by Colorado Politics/the Denver Gazette and the Douglas County Economic Development Corporation, focused on the economy and business issues.
This was the first debate since Boebert won the June primary against a crowded Republican field. Amidst competition from both Democrats and Republicans in her home district, Boebert switched to vying for the 4th District seat after the previous representative, Ken Buck, announced he would not be running for re-election.
Although Boebert is new to the district, she is considered the favorite to win. The 4th District, which is mainly focused on the Eastern Plains, is known to be the most conservative district in Colorado, with registered Republicans outnumbering Democrats by a large margin. This gives Boebert a significant advantage on paper compared to her previous district, which included more diverse areas such as farmland and suburban Denver's Douglas County.
During the debate, Calvarese emphasized her desire for partnership and compromise, in contrast to Boebert's approach, which she characterized as defunding, canceling, and shutting down the government if she does not get her way.
Despite being known as one of the most partisan members of Congress, Boebert highlighted her bipartisan efforts, including her support for a bill by Colorado Democrat Joe Neguse, which allows federal land to be used for housing.
The candidates also discussed various other issues, such as the growing national debt, veterans care, and economic policies. Boebert stated that she would go through spending line by line and support individual appropriations bills instead of larger omnibus funding bills. She also mentioned her opposition to both Republican and Democratic debt.
Calvarese proposed taxing corporations that hide their money abroad and providing tax breaks for the middle class. She also stated her support for keeping the federal corporate tax rate at its current level, while Boebert advocated for continuing former President Donald Trump's tax cuts and lowering rates significantly.
In response to a question about veterans, Calvarese accused Boebert of not supporting them and pointed out her previous votes against bills that would have expanded health benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances. Boebert defended her record and stated that she was not able to provide amendments and could not support spending billions of dollars indefinitely because of a few issues with the legislation.
During a lightning round, the candidates were asked about their stance on increasing the federal minimum wage, taxes on tips, privatizing social security benefits, and foreign entities buying American farmland. Boebert opposed increasing the minimum wage, while Calvarese supported raising it to $15 an hour. Both candidates agreed on ending taxes on tips and opposed privatizing social security benefits. They also both stated their support for barring foreign entities, such as China or Saudi Arabia, from buying American farmland.
After the debate, Calvarese called for at least two more debates, while Boebert could not commit to any further debates and stated that she debates Democrats on a daily basis as part of her job.
The debate provided voters with an opportunity to evaluate the candidates and their positions on important issues. Stay updated with Colorado Politics by signing up for their weekly newsletter, The Spot.
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