Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023. Points indicate the two major cities in the district (Grand Junction in red and Pueblo in blue).
Colorado's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. It takes in most of the rural Western Slope in the state's western third portion, with a wing in the south taking in some of the southern portions of the Eastern Plains. It includes the cities of Grand Junction, Durango, Aspen, Glenwood Springs, Ignacio, and Pueblo. The district has been represented by Republican Lauren Boebert since 2021.
The district was represented from 1987 to 1993 by Ben Nighthorse Campbell before he ran for the U.S. Senate and switched parties from Democratic to Republican. The district's former representative Scott Tipton lost renomination in 2020 to Lauren Boebert in what was considered a major upset.[4] Boebert won the general election on November 3, 2020, and narrowly won re-election in the closest House race of 2022.
The district is mainly rural and leans Republican, though not as much as the neighboring 4th district. However, the Democrats have a strong base in counties on the I-70 corridor and Pueblo, as well as ski towns such as Aspen, thus keeping the seat competitive.
Following the 2010 U.S. census and realignment of congressional districts, the 3rd congressional district underwent very little change, and continued to cover 27 of the previous counties, excluding Las Animas and Otero counties.[5]
The district has two major population centers, in Grand Junction and Pueblo. The two cities and their surrounding rural areas provide a competitive arena for congressional races. Grand Junction, on the Western Slope, is a Republican stronghold, while Pueblo, a town with a large Latino population and (by Colorado norms) a heavily unionized workforce, provides a base of support for Democrats.
The district is red-leaning, and it covers nearly half of Colorado's land mass, including western and southern Colorado, and 29 of the state's 64 counties. It's also diverse, with wealthy ski towns like Aspen, giant swaths of agricultural land and public lands, and middle-class cities like Grand Junction and Pueblo.[6]
Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
^"Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013.
^ abCenter for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
^"2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
^Panetta, Grace. "GOP Congressman Scott Tipton was defeated by right-wing primary challenger Lauren Boebert in Colorado's 3rd congressional district". Business Insider. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
^"Colorado Legislative District Information: Congressional District 3" (PDF). Colorado Redistricting.gov. Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
^Burness, Alex (November 3, 2020). "Colorado's 3rd Congressional District: Lauren Boebert defeats Diane Mitsch Bush". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
^"Our Campaigns - CO District 3 Race - Nov 03, 1914". www.ourcampaigns.com.
^"Our Campaigns - CO District 3 Race - Nov 07, 1916". www.ourcampaigns.com.
^"Our Campaigns - CO District 3 Race - Nov 05, 1918". www.ourcampaigns.com.