House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday formally endorsed U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s candidacy to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, a week after the Silt Republican announced she is dropping her reelection bid in the district she has represented for two terms.

Calling her a “relentless force for conservative governance and a tireless advocate for Coloradans,” Johnson said that he’ll “fully support” her campaign in the new district.

“She has stayed true to her conservative principles and fought to produce real results for Colorado, from defending energy producers to increasing critical resources for our veterans and supporting rural ranchers and farmers,” Johnson said in a statement released by Boebert’s campaign.

“I am proud to endorse and fully support her campaign for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District because we need fighters like Lauren Boebert in Congress.”

Boebert is one of 11 Republicans running for the seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, a Windsor Republican serving his fifth term. Anchored by Douglas County, the 4th CD covers Colorado’s Eastern Plains and is the state’s most reliably Republican district.

Prior to her surprise switch, Boebert was facing a competitive primary and general election in the Western Slope-based 3rd Congressional District, where she won reelection in 2022 by fewer than 600 votes.  

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and one of the most conservative members of Congress, was elected speaker in October after the House GOP spent weeks struggling to pick a successor to former U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the California Republican who lost the gavel at the beginning of the month.

Boebert said in a statement that she was grateful for Johnson’s support.

“I look forward to working with him to help get President Trump reelected and defend our majority,” she said. “Now more than ever, conservatives need to work together to secure our Southern border, lower inflation, stop the Swamp’s out-of-control spending, and prevent the Biden Regime from trampling on Coloradans’ Constitutional rights.”

A spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee told Colorado Politics that the House GOP’s campaign arm views Boebert as an incumbent, but it’s unclear whether Johnson’s endorsement will bring with it financial support for Boebert from the NRCC or political action committees associated with the speaker.

Other Republicans running in the 4th CD primary include Colorado House Minority Leader Mike Lynch, Logan County Commissioner Jerry Sonnenberg, state Rep. Richard Holtorf, former state Sen. Ted Harvey, talk radio host Deborah Flora, Weld County Council member Trent Leisy, former congressional nominee Peter Yu and first-time candidates Justin Schreiber, Mariel Bailey and Chris Phelen. Four Democrats and several unaffiliated and third-party candidates are also running in the district.

Precinct caucuses take place during the first week of March, and Colorado’s primary election is June 25.