Pro-Gun Open Carry Advocate Headed to Congress

The owner of Shooter’s Grill in Rifle, Colorado, is set to become U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, in the new class of Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill in 2021.

Boebert, a mother of four who snagged her first job when she was 15, was initially in the spotlight in 2014 for the open carry policy at her restaurant, which covered the armed wait staff, and took point on coordinating local concealed carry courses— to include a free meal.

 

She then shot to national prominence last September by attending a rally for then-Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke and telling him, “Hell, no, you won’t take our guns,” while running the mic on the former Congressman for two solid minutes at his own event.

 

Wading deeper into political waters this election cycle, Boebert ran as a Republican for Colorado’s 3rd congressional district after stumping against a proposed anti-gun ordinance before the Aspen city council. Waging an uphill fight against GOP incumbent Congressman Scott Tipton, who was up for his fifth term, the pro-2A advocate bested the long-serving distinguished gentleman by nearly 10 points in the Republican primary.

This week, Boebert defeated Democratic challenger Diane Mitsch Bush, a former state representative who in 2013, helped secure legislative victory for Colorado’s controversial universal background check and magazine ban laws. Voting data showed that Boebert walked away with a nearly six-point victory on Tuesday. This was despite a push by anti-gun groups spearheaded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown that repeatedly called out Boebert by name as part of a $1.2 million statewide effort by the organization.

“Freedom wins!” said Boebert on social media after Bush’s concession statement. “This is a great victory for freedom and prosperity. Plus I have the honor of being the first mom to represent CO-03! It doesn’t get better than that. God bless America!”

 

Boebert will join a larger group of Republicans in Washington for the 117th Congress, as the GOP flipped no less than eight House seats this week nationwide, trimming the Democrat control of the chamber.