Rep. Lauren Boebert lost her reelection bid to Democrat Eileen Laubacher in Colorado's 4th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press, ending her three-term tenure.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) lost her bid for reelection Friday, according to the Associated Press, ending her three-term tenure in Congress. Democrat Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral, defeated Boebert in Colorado's 4th Congressional District, flipping the state's most conservative congressional seat.
The Associated Press called the race Friday afternoon, with Laubacher leading Boebert 48.8% to 47.9% and an estimated 99% of votes counted. The New York Times reported that Laubacher was leading by more than 3,000 votes when The Associated Press called the race.
Boebert's loss comes just over a week after her campaign began casting doubt on the integrity of the election, offering no evidence to substantiate its claims. Last week, Boebert campaign attorney Scott Gessler, Colorado's former Republican secretary of state, said the campaign was investigating the vote.
"We are investigating some very unusual voting patterns and expect this election to head to a recount, one way or another," Gessler said in a statement.
But Gessler didn't explain what those patterns were or offer any evidence of wrongdoing. The campaign did not respond to Democracy Docket's request for additional information.
Colorado election officials subsequently defended the state's election system, affirming that ballots were being processed in accordance with state and federal law.
"Colorado's elections are safe, secure and accurate – and every voter's voice will be heard," Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) said Monday. "We've seen an incredibly engaged electorate, and voters should feel confident in the results in each contest."
Griswold's office also told Democracy Docket at the time that Boebert's campaign hadn't contacted it about the alleged irregularities.
Boebert is no stranger to election denial. Just days after being sworn into Congress in January 2021, she was among the 147 congressional Republicans who voted against certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory, even after a mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in an effort to stop the certification.
Her defeat is particularly striking given the lengths she went to secure another term in Congress. After narrowly winning reelection in 2022, Boebert switched congressional districts in 2024, abandoning her seat in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District for the more reliably Republican 4th Congressional District. Trump carried the district by more than 18 percentage points in 2024.
Laubacher declared victory Monday and attended orientation for incoming members of Congress in Washington, D.C., while Boebert maintained that the race wasn't over.
"We'll see what happens Friday and we'll accept whatever outcome is presented," Boebert told Colorado Public Radio on Monday evening.
Under Colorado law, an automatic recount is required when the difference between the two leading candidates is no more than 0.5% of the winner's vote total. The current margin falls outside that threshold, though the campaign could still request and pay for a recount. Friday marks the deadline for Colorado counties to complete their initial vote counts. Counties have until Nov. 25 to review and certify their results.
Boebert said she called to congratulate Laubacher on Friday, four days after the Democrat declared victory, and hinted that she would not be retreating from the public eye.
"Public service was never meant to be a lifetime career, nor did I ever intend for it to be for myself," Ms. Boebert said in a video posted on X. "Our founders expected representatives to serve and go back home."
She added: "So I'm home, I am happy, I have peace, and this is not the last you'll be hearing from me."
The loss ends Boebert's three-term tenure in Congress and flips Colorado's most conservative congressional seat to Democrats. It also shows Democrats encroaching into Republican territory, with Democrats flooding the airwaves in the district with more than $7 million worth of ads, outspending Republicans by more than 23 to 1, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
No comments yet. Start the discussion.
The White House says President Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen to discuss Iran and nuclear arms.
PoliticsTrending
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says Russia is trying to divert attention from its aggression by raising European security. European leaders agreed on a negotiating team of EU institutions and the E5 countries.
