National Democrats assail Boebert with digital ad blasting vote against COVID stimulus bill

By ERNEST LUNING ernest.luning@coloradopolitics.com

National Democrats are targeting U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert with digital ads criticizing her vote against the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed over the weekend by the Democratic-controlled House.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s 23-second ad depicts the Silt Republican as more concerned with partisan politics than with sending stimulus checks to Americans and providing aid to schools, businesses and vaccination programs, but GOP lawmakers have complained the legislation amounted to a Democratic wish list larded up with spending and programs that have little to do with the pandemic.

The bill, a top priority of President Joe Biden’s new administration, passed early Saturday morning 219-212, with just two Democrats joining every Republican in voting against it. It moves to the Senate, where a procedural hurdle could prevent lawmakers from voting on a provision in the bill that would increase the minimum wage to $15. 

Among Colorado’s House delegation, the state’s four Democrats voted for the bill and its three Republicans, including Boebert, voted against it.

The ads targeting Boebert are part of a monthlong YouTube campaign aimed at 10 GOP incumbents the DCCC considers vulnerable. Unlike the other nine targets, who represent districts won by President Joe Biden, Boebert represents a district President Donald Trump carried.https://www.youtube.com/embed/479doiJ_yqI?enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.coloradopolitics.com

U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, a New York Democrat and chairman of the DCCC, said in a statement that Boebert’s vote demonstrates she is “refusing to take this pandemic seriously.”

Said Maloney: “From denying the seriousness of the virus, to refusing to follow the public health recommendations from Dr. Fauci and medical experts, to refusing to give American families the aid they need, Washington Republicans like Lauren Boebert have made clear that she is unable to lead us out of this crisis.”

Polling shows the bill — which includes $1,400 stimulus checks for most Americans, as well as expanded unemployment benefits, funding to support vaccination programs and a $350 billion relief package for state and local governments — is overwhelmingly popular among voters. A recent Morning Consult/Politico poll found 76% of voters approve — including 60% of Republicans — and a CBS News/YouGov poll found 83% support.

Boebert’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment, but the congresswoman took to Twitter on Sunday to attack circumstances surrounding the bill’s passage.

“The Democrats blew their chance at ‘unity’ by passing the first major piece of Biden legislation on a completely partisan basis. They’ve even brought back earmarks,” Boebert tweeted. “In other words, the swamp is back and deeper than ever before.”

Boebert, who won the Republican-leaning 3rd Congressional District after unseating incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton in last summer’s primary, is already facing at least seven Democrats who hope to run against her.

Among Boebert’s potential challengers: state Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail; state Rep. Don Valdez, D-La Jara; Pueblo activist Sol Sandoval; Marine veteran and former CEO Gregg Smith of Westcliffe; Glenwood Springs attorney and former legislative candidate Colin Wilhelm; Root Routledge of Durango, who ran for the seat last cycle; and Rifle resident Naziha Karima In’am Hadil.