Laubacher unseats Boebert in Colorado's 4th District by 3,523 votes

The Associated Press officially called the Colorado 4th District race on Friday, confirming that Democrat Eileen Laubacher has defeated incumbent Republican Representative Lauren Boebert.

According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, Laubacher won by a margin of 3,523 votes. This result settles a contest that had drawn national attention since the midterms were initially called by CNN on Nov. 9.

The district covers the eastern part of the state. Laubacher, a former Navy Rear Admiral with 34 years of service, will become the first Democrat to represent the district since Betsy Markey in 2008. Markey did not win re-election in her subsequent term.

Boebert served in Congress from 2020 to 2024 in District 3, which covers western Colorado. She moved to District 4 after a series of scandals eroded her support in her previous district.

During the campaign, Boebert’s team sought a recount following a statement from Scott Gessler, the former Republican Secretary of State. Gessler told the campaign late on Nov. 5 that he was investigating unusual voting patterns and expected the election to go to a recount. The campaign reiterated this position after the initial results.

Robert Preuhs, chair of the Political Science Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver, noted that a margin of less than or equal to 0.5% triggers an automatic recount in Colorado. Boebert’s loss is approximately double that threshold. He estimated the cost of a requested recount at around $100,000 and described a change in outcome as extremely unlikely.

Boebert did not mention the recount in her concession video posted on social media. Instead, she thanked voters for the opportunity to represent the district and listed her legislative priorities. These included defending Second Amendment rights and opposing boys in girls' locker rooms and sports. She also cited her push for the release of the Epstein files, an effort that caused a split with President Donald Trump.

Trump had publicly called for candidates to run against Boebert in the district. He described her as weak-minded and dumb on social media. Boebert said she was not offended by the remarks and maintained her support for the president.

Laubacher released a statement on Nov. 9 after the initial call. She stated, 'This victory is historic. But making history means nothing if we don't make a difference. My focus is simple: lower costs, protect healthcare, strengthen rural communities, take on corruption in both parties, and hold Washington accountable.'

Dick Wadhams, a Republican political consultant in Colorado, said Boebert could technically run in 2028. He noted that the Cook Partisan Voting Index ranks the district as the most Republican in Colorado, though the Cook Political Report recently shifted its rating from solid Republican to leans Republican. Wadhams predicted Boebert is more likely to return to television, citing her ties to One America News Network and Newsmax. In her post, Boebert concluded, 'This is not the last you’ll be hearing from me.'