Conservative candidates say Lauren Boebert doesn't know 4th ...

What's next for Lauren Boebert after announcing change of districts 02:25

To win elected office you need to get in where you fit in. This is why MAGA conservative Rep. Lauren Boebert thinks she might be a good candidate for Colorado's heavily conservative Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Her competitors already running in the Republican primary for that seat say that's not necessarily true.

Lauren Boebert for Congress

The seat will become vacant, as District 4 U.S Rep. Ken Buck says he does not plan to run for another term. On Wednesday, Boebert decided to abandon her run to retain her seat in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District to run for the vacant CD4 seat.

"This is unprecedented," said CBS News Colorado political analyst Dick Wadhams.

He says it's clear why Boebert decided to jump into the race.

"She knew she was probably going to lose in the 3rd Congressional District," said Wadhams.

Dick Wadhams CBS

The CD4 primary race was already crowded with six people running. Wadhams says Boebert becoming the seventh won't likely push candidates out of the race.

"But it will cause some real friction," said Wadhams.

He says the representative will have at least one major hurdle to overcome to win the nomination. Winning over voters in a district she doesn't live in.

"People don't like people moving into a district just to run," said Wadhams.

It is a vulnerability her competitors are already pouncing on.

Former State Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg of Sterling released a statement saying:

"I look forward to welcoming Lauren to the fourth district and representing her in Congress. I've lived, worked, and raised my family here and I'm blessed to have always called Eastern Colorado home. The fourth district is my home, and I'm going to continue to work hard to represent the principled conservative values of everyone who lives here just as I have always done."

Jerry Sonnenberg sonnenbergforcongress.com

State Rep. Richard Holtorf of Akron said, "seat shopping isn't something voters look kindly on."

He added, "does she think we're that stupid? Does she think we're going to be fooled by this trickery?"

Holtorf says the Eastern Plains are much different than the Western Slope which Boebert currently represents, and he is the right candidate to represent his home, not her.

"I'm a third-generation cattle rancher, cattle feeder and farmer out here," said Holtorf. "So, our roots run deep here and you know what? I'm (part of) the fabric of this part of the state."

Richard Holtorf holtorfforcolorado.com

Former Highlands Ranch State Sen. Ted Harvey says Boebert is just carpetbagging.

"It's sad, first and foremost, because she ran to say that she wasn't going to be a career politician," said Harvey. "She has lost the confidence of the conservative voters in the 3rd Congressional District, so much so that she was probably going to lose that seat. And so now she's decided to cling to power and continue to be a career politician."

He thinks he can represent Colorado conservatives better.

Ted Harvey CBS

"We want to have a candidate that will represent our small government, lower taxes, conservative values that believe in having sovereign borders and believe in making sure that our government is serving us and representing us but not trying to be our boss," said Harvey.

While it's too early to say how this primary race might turn out Wadhams says one thing is for sure.

"In a year that was already going to have a very competitive, aggressive primary in the fourth district, it has now gotten terribly interesting," said Wadhams.

RELATED: Lauren Boebert says she'll seek office in a different congressional district in 2024