Lauren Boebert's first hurdle in her new district: Getting on the ballot

Lauren Boebert is hoping to prolong her time in office by seeking reelection in a much redder House district than the already conservative one she currently represents, but the notoriously maladroit congresswoman still faces a gauntlet that has vexed many seasoned Colorado politicians more adept than her. And while many Republicans may be relieved they won't have to rally behind Boebert to defend a potentially vulnerable seat, her departure opens the door for a candidate just as flawed to succeed her as the GOP's standard-bearer, giving Democrats the chance to flip her 3rd District even without her on the ballot.

Boebert's first challenge in the 4th District, an eastern Colorado seat held by retiring GOP Rep. Ken Buck, will be to make sure her name even appears on the June 25 primary ballot. Candidates can try to reach the primary in one of two ways: either by winning the support of at least 30% of the delegates at their party's biennial convention (also known locally as an "assembly") or by collecting the requisite 1,500 signatures. State law requires that conventions take place "no later than 73 days before the primary," while the deadline to turn in petitions is March 19.

Campaigns can also opt to try both methods, but doing so still doesn't offer a guarantee. If a candidate takes less than 10% of the vote at the convention, then their campaign is over no matter how many signatures they turn in. And both of these routes carry risk, something that another member of the state's GOP delegation almost learned the hard way in back-to-back election cycles.