Another Republican has lost her bid for a fourth term in Congress after Democrat Eileen Laubacher prevailed in Colorado’s traditionally Republican 4th Congressional District.
CNN’s Decision Desk projected Laubacher as the winner Monday afternoon, ending a nearly weeklong wait in one of the nation’s closest remaining House races and defeating incumbent Rep. Lauren Boebert.
The Associated Press subsequently also called the contest for Laubacher.
Laubacher, a retired two-star Navy rear admiral, held approximately 48.8% of the vote Monday compared with 47.9% for Boebert. Libertarian Douglas Mangeris received roughly 3.3%.
The margin stood at 3,237 votes in unofficial results, with Laubacher receiving 185,923 votes and Boebert 182,686.
The result represents a significant Democratic pickup in a district President Donald Trump carried by approximately 18 percentage points in 2024.
Boebert won the same district by more than 11 points two years ago.
Laubacher’s victory will make her the first Democrat elected to represent the 4th District since Betsy Markey won the seat in 2008.
The district covers much of Colorado’s Eastern Plains while also including heavily populated portions of Douglas, Weld, Larimer, Adams and Arapahoe counties.
Laubacher built large margins in some suburban portions of the district, particularly Douglas County, offsetting Boebert’s strength in rural areas.
Boebert had not conceded as of Monday afternoon.
Her campaign previously said it was investigating what attorney Scott Gessler described as “some very unusual voting patterns,” although he did not publicly provide evidence of improper voting.
“We are fighting for every vote and will continue to ensure every legal vote is counted,” Gessler said.
“Every legal vote must be counted accurately, fully, and transparently. We will continue to investigate throughout the process to protect the integrity of this election and ensure Coloradans can have complete confidence in the results.”
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold defended the state’s election process.
“Colorado’s elections are safe, secure and accurate – and every voter’s voice will be heard,” Griswold said.
Her office said it had not been contacted by Boebert’s campaign concerning its allegations and maintained that ballots were being processed according to state and federal law.
Boebert previously suggested the race could be headed toward a recount.
Colorado law provides for an automatic recount when the margin between the top two candidates is no greater than one-half of 1% of the leading candidate’s vote total.
The roughly 3,200-vote margin reported Monday appeared to place the contest outside that threshold, although final certified totals will determine whether a recount is required.
Laubacher traveled to Washington Monday and attended orientation for incoming members of Congress even before several news organizations had called the race.
The retired rear admiral served more than three decades in the Navy and later worked on President Joe Biden’s National Security Council.
She campaigned heavily on affordability and presented herself as a moderate Democrat capable of representing a Republican-leaning district.
Laubacher also dramatically outraised Boebert during portions of the campaign, bringing in more than $13 million.
Boebert, 39, first entered Congress after defeating five-term Republican Rep. Scott Tipton in the 2020 GOP primary.
She quickly became one of the House’s most recognizable conservatives and a prominent Trump supporter.
Her political career included several extremely close elections.
Boebert defeated Democrat Adam Frisch by only 546 votes in Colorado’s 3rd District in 2022.
Rather than face Frisch again, she moved across the state and ran for the more Republican 4th District after Rep. Ken Buck retired. Boebert easily won that seat in 2024.
Her relationship with Trump became more complicated during her latest term.
Trump criticized Boebert after she campaigned with Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, one of the president’s most persistent GOP critics, but later endorsed her reelection.
Trump called Boebert a “MAGA Warrior, who has been with us from the very beginning.”
Boebert also broke with Trump and Republican leaders during the fight over releasing additional government records involving Jeffrey Epstein.
Laubacher’s victory adds another Democratic pickup to an election in which the party captured control of the House and Senate.
For Boebert, the result ends a six-year congressional career that made her one of the most nationally recognizable members of the House Republican Conference.
