Republican Scott Tipton, a five-term Congressman, was upset in the Colorado republican primary in the state’s 3rd District by a newcomer to politics, businesswoman Lauren Boebert, an ardent Trump supporter.
An enthusiastic advocate for the border wall and gun rights, Boebert gained prominence for defying state orders to keep her restaurant, Shooters Grill in Rifle, Colorado, closed to stem the coronavirus pandemic.
Colorado has seen a 25% increase in new coronavirus cases in the last three weeks.
Boebert has also been known to promote QAnon conspiracy theories, although she stops short of calling herself a QAnon follower.
Boebert will face Diane Mitsch Bush in November’s general election. Mitsch Bush lost to the incumbent Tipton in the 2018 midterm election by 8 percentage point, however Trump currently has a net negative 18 approval deficit in Colorado, making running on Trump’s record in the state a difficult challenge.