Carpetbaggers stay at home
The Oxford dictionary defines a “carpetbagger” as “A political candidate who seeks election in an area where they have no local connections” and “A person perceived as an unscrupulous opportunist.”
The term “carpetbagger” originated after the American Civil War when individuals from the northern states went South (carrying their belongings in carpetbags) to reap the economic rewards of Reconstruction. The term was used derisively and connoted someone who wasn’t there to aid in the effective reconstruction of the South, but rather was there only to further their own interests.
I couldn’t help but recall the term when I read that Lauren Boebert is switching congressional districts from the 3rd (from where she was elected by a slim margin in the last election and now appears headed for defeat in 2024) to the 4th congressional district. The 4th congressional district has been represented by Ken Buck since 2015, but most recently, Buck announced that he will not be seeking reelection in 2024.
The 3rd congressional district encompasses most of western Colorado, while almost the entirety of the Eastern Plains comprises the 4th congressional district. The 4th congressional district includes the 10 top agricultural producing counties in the United States, although recent redistricting of the boundaries does now include a portion of the less rural Douglas County.
The 4th congressional district is largely “red.” There are of course Democrats in eastern Colorado, but they are outnumbered by nearly 100,000 registered Republican voters, and the chances of a Democrat getting elected to represent the 4th congressional district are slim indeed.
There are currently a number of Republicans who have announced that they will seek election to the House of Representatives in the 2024 election, and interestingly, ever single one of them lives in the 4th congressional district. Apparently (and file this under, “learn something new every day”) Colorado doesn’t require candidates to live in the congressional district they represent; it only requires them to live in the State of Colorado. I for one am absolutely certain that we don’t need a western slope barkeep carpetbagging her way into representing eastern Colorado.
Personally, I don’t think that anyone should serve the district that hasn’t been to Eckley, Joes, Kirk, Stratton, Paoli, Messex, Arickaree, Pumkin Center, Firstview or Brandon (just to name a few). Nor should anyone who doesn’t understand the complexities of the water pacts that Colorado has with Nebraska and Kansas, and who realizes that farming is the lifeblood of the region and has to be given special consideration so that this portion of the state can continue to provide food for the world.
Boebert touts her “conservative values,” but I think that most of us who were raised out here in the sticks also learned that “value” (conservative and/ or liberal) include our personal code of conduct. Her expulsion from the Buell theatre for behavior that was unbecoming anyone, let alone a congressional representative, should in and of itself disqualify her from representing those of us who live in the 4th congressional district. The people of the 4th congressional district should look at her past history and realize that she isn’t running to represent our values—she’s running to continue her career as a disruptive influencer on the far right.
Contrast Boebert with one of the other candidates who has announced his candidacy, Jerry Sonneberg, Sonneberg is a Logan County rancher/farmer with deep agrarian roots. He is an upstanding family man with a good moral compass, a willingness to work across party lines to ensure that the work of the people comes to fruition, good political instincts, and a proven track record. Sonneberg served in the State House of Representatives from 2007-2014 and the Colorado State Senate from 2015-2023 and was highly regarded as a voice of reason by men and women of both political parties. Currently, Sonnenberg is serving his first term as Logan County Commissioner and is acquitting himself quite nicely in that role.
Although I’m certain that Sonnenberg and I would have many political differences, I know him to be a man who, if elected, would never embarrass his constituents through outlandish statements or behavior. He would work hard to represent the 4th congressional district and as an agricultural advocate and expert, would bring an important level of competence to Washington.
For my Republican friends, don’t be fooled by Boebert’s name and image. She doesn’t represent the farming and ranching communities (or interest) in which we all live. And to my friends of the Democratic persuasion — if you’ve ever thought about registering as “unaffiliated,” this is the year to do so. Those of us who are unaffiliated can vote in either the Republican or the Democratic Primary, and I can assure you that this year I will be voting in the Republican Primary, casting my ballot for the aforementioned Jerry Sonnenberg.
The last thing we need in eastern Colorado is an outside carpetbagger representing us in Congress.