Neither Lauren Boebert nor Republican primary challenger plans to sign Libertarians' pledge

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert doesn't plan to sign a candidate pledge released by the Colorado Libertarian Party as part of a deal struck with state Republicans to avoid potential third-party spoiler candidates next year in competitive races.

Neither does Boebert's GOP primary challenger, Grand Junction attorney Jeff Hurd.

State Libertarians agreed earlier this summer to refrain from nominating candidates in races they might "spoil" by pulling votes from Republicans — if the Republican nominees meet the minor political party's standards.

Under an unprecedented agreement negotiated between Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams and his Libertarian counterpart, Hannah Goodman, the Libertarians last week released lengthy pledges for federal and state candidates to sign.

"Together we can break the stranglehold of Democrats' one-party rule over Colorado," the state Libertarians' governing board said in a social media post announcing the pledges, which each include more than a dozen positions ranging from opposing U.S. military aid to Ukraine to supporting the right of Coloradans to drink raw milk.

Boebert's campaign manager told Colorado Politics that the Silt Republican, who is seeking a third term in what's shaping up to be one of the most competitive congressional races in the country next year, isn't going to sign the pledge and will instead stand on her record.

"Congresswoman Boebert is not planning to sign the pledge," Drew Sexton said in an email. "The only two pledges the congresswoman does take are the Pledge of Allegiance and a pledge directly to her voters in the 3rd District to uphold the Constitution. Any organization can clearly see the principles she has consistently stood by and immediately understand what kind of legislator she is and will continue to be."

Last year, Boebert won reelection in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District in the closest U.S. House race in the country, with the Silt Republican defeating Democratic challenger Adam Frisch by just 546 votes out of more than 325,000 votes cast. A poll released Tuesday by a Democratic firm working for Frisch, who is seeking a rematch with Boebert, showed Frisch leading the incumbent by 2 percentage points, within the survey's margin of error.

Hurd, who declared his candidacy last week, doesn't intend to sign the pledge either, a campaign spokesman told Colorado Politics.

“No,” the spokesman said, adding that Hurd is "looking forward to engaging the voters on where he stands on all issues of importance, as he continues to campaign across the district.”

Williams said last week that he "[didn't] think any serious candidate seeking our nomination in any competitive seat can ignore this," referring to the Libertarians' pledges, but on Monday said he wasn't concerned after Colorado Politics asked him about Boebert's decision.

"She may not have to given her record," he said in a text message. "The Libertarians are always willing to consider these questions on a case-by-case basis. Ultimately, it’s the candidate’s call."

Added Williams: "We are more focused on the open seats or seats with incumbent Democrats anyway, so this probably won’t be an issue."

A spokesperson for the lone Republican so far running to represent Colorado's other toss-up U.S. House seat, the 8th Congressional District, wouldn't say whether Weld County Commissioner Scott James plans to take the pledge.

“We received the pledge from Chairman Dave Williams and very much look forward to the dialogue as the campaign moves forward," James' spokesperson told Colorado Politics in a text message.

James is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the former state lawmaker from Thornton who won election in the newly drawn district last year by less than 1 percentage point — far less than the nearly 4% of the vote received by Libertarian nominee Richard Ward.

Like Boebert's district, the 8th CD has landed on target lists released by both national parties.

State Republicans have also said they plan to target at least 10 legislative seats currently represented by Democrats.

Asked about Boebert's decision, the state Libertarians' communications director, Jordan Marinovich, had this reaction: "We will continue to assess the situation as we get closer to the election."

Last week, Goodman made clear that the Libertarians intend to run candidates "against any Republican candidates who do not sign this pledge."

In June, Goodman told Colorado Politics' news partners at 9News that she didn't know if Boebert met the party's requirements.

"Is Lauren Boebert a strong liberty candidate? That is to be determined," Goodman said. "I don't necessarily think that Lauren Boebert... is a strong liberty candidate, in my opinion."

While the 3rd CD was the only one of Colorado's eight congressional districts without a third-party candidate on the ballot last year, two minor party candidates have already declared that they're running for the seat in next year's election.

Gary Swing, who has run for office in Colorado and other states on numerous tickets over the years, is seeking the Unity Party nomination, and Mark Elworth Jr., who has run for office in Nebraska as a Libertarian, a Democrat and the Legal Marijuana Now Party's nominee, is seeking the Libertarian nomination in the 3rd District.