attack of the vapors

Did Lauren Boebert’s re-election chances just go up in smoke?

By · 26 comments · Updated on September 16, 2023
Lauren Boebert
Rep. Lauren Boebert

New video footage of Rep. Lauren Boebert at the Buell Theatre in Denver, Colorado on Sunday night has emerged.

The theater ejected Boebert after several members of the audience complained about her behavior during a performance of the musical, Beetlejuice. Boebert admits she was singing and laughing loudly, but a spokesperson for the Colorado Republican denied she was using a vape.

The new video footage seems to question that denial.

It shows Boebert putting something to her lips and then breathing out a cloud of smoke or vapor.

Watch below.

Later on, a pregnant woman sat behind Boebert leaned over and asked her if she could stop vaping.

She says when she made the request to Boebert to stop, the lawmaker simply replied, “No,”, reports the Denver Post.

The woman, who spoke to the outlet on the condition of anonymity, also claims Boebert took multiple, long videos of the performance on her phone.

Boebert’s spokesperson says she took a few photos and didn’t know there was a no-cameras policy in the venue.

“At intermission, I asked, ‘Are there any other seats available? Can we sit somewhere else?’” the woman said. “The usher said, ‘You’re not the first complaint we had’.”

When the woman returned with her husband to their seats, she said Boebert called her a “sad and miserable person.”

She says Boebert’s male companion offered to buy them cocktails but they declined: “I’m pregnant!”

“Do you know who I am?”

Five minutes into the second half, Boebert and her companion—since identified as Aspen bar owner Quinn Gallagher—were asked to leave. As they were escorted out, a staff member told the Denver Post that Boebert said “stuff like ‘do you know who I am,’ ‘I am on the board’ (and) ‘I will be contacting the mayor’.”

Boebert won re-election in the midterms last November by just a few hundred votes. The count between her and Democratic challenger Adam Frisch went to a recount.

Frisch is running against Boebert again in 2024 in Colorado’s 3rd district. Recent opinion polls place him 2-3 points ahead. There are signs that even some Republicans in Boebert’s district are fed up with Boebert’s antics. Vaping in front of a pregnant woman and refusing to stop is not likely to win her any votes.

Queerty has reached out to Boebert’s office for comment.

UPDATE 09.16.23

Lauren Boebert issued a statement of apology a few hours after this article appeared online.

“The past few days have been difficult and humbling, and I’m truly sorry for the unwanted attention my Sunday evening in Denver has brought to the community. While none of my actions or words as a private citizen that night were intended to be malicious or meant to cause harm, the reality is they did and I regret that.”

“There’s no perfect blueprint for going through a public and difficult divorce, which over the past few months has made for a challenging personal time for me and my entire family. I’ve tried to handle it with strength and grace as best I can, but I simply fell short of my values on Sunday. That’s unacceptable and I’m sorry.”

“Whether it was the excitement of seeing a much-anticipated production or the natural anxiety of being in a new environment, I genuinely did not recall vaping that evening when I discussed the night’s events with my campaign team while confirming my enthusiasm for the musical.

“Regardless of my belief, it’s clear now that was not accurate. It was not my or my campaign’s intention to mislead, but we do understand the nature of how this looks. We know we will have to work to earn your trust back and it may not happen overnight, but we will do it.

“I’m deeply thankful to those in the 3rd District who have defended me and reached out this week and offered grace and support when I needed it the most. I’ve learned some humbling lessons these past few days but I vow moving forward, I will make you proud.”

Related:

WATCH: Lauren Boebert gets kicked out of the theater for having a meltdown during ‘Beetlejuice’

And she’s proud of it.

Lauren Boebert pledges to “lead with grace” and Twitter has thoughts

Lauren Boebert officially, narrowly won her re-election following a recount in her district.