Lauren Boebert has fashioned a political persona as a champion of the Second Amendment, in no small part by campaigning for a congressional seat with a Glock strapped to her thigh.
But it wasnât necessarily a political gimmick. She had been openly carrying for years before throwing her hat in the ring for Coloradoâs 3rd Congressional District seat. If Boebert had never run for political office, she would still be known as the owner of the gun-themed restaurant, Shooters Grill in Rifle, where the wait staff all wear sidearms while serving up food.
It was no surprise, then, when Boebert inquired about her right to carry a gun while working on Capitol Hill. During a freshman orientation last month, she bucked the advice of Capitol Police to forgo carrying a weapon in and around the Capitol, indicating she had every intention of doing so. Later, she told the Denver Gazette she plans to apply for a hard-to-get concealment permit to carry her Glock around Washington.