CNN Projects Boebert Loses Colorado’s Reddest District, but Her Campaign Expects a Recount
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., will lose her seat in Colorado’s most Republican congressional district to Democrat Eileen Laubacher, CNN’s Decision Desk projected Monday, though the Associated Press has not called the race.
Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral, will flip the 4th District and deny Boebert a fourth term, CNN reported. The network made its projection Monday afternoon, nearly a week after Election Day.
Laubacher led with 48.8% of the vote to Boebert’s 47.9%, a margin of 3,237 votes, with the Associated Press estimating about 98% of the vote counted, The Denver Post reported. Laubacher declared victory the same day.
“The way we won this race is the way I intend to continue serving the people, which is going everywhere, talking a little bit and listening a lot,” Laubacher told The Denver Post. She said Boebert had not called to concede.
The Associated Press, which calls a race only when the trailing candidate no longer has a path to victory, still listed the contest as too close to call Monday, 9News reported. The Denver station relies on the Associated Press for race calls.
Ballots still being counted include those from military and overseas voters, which must arrive by Thursday. Thursday is also the deadline for voters to fix signature problems or missing ID on mail and provisional ballots.
Counties must finish their count by Friday. Under Colorado law, an automatic recount happens only if the margin falls within half of 1% of the leader’s total, about 929 votes, far less than the current gap.
Boebert’s campaign has signaled it will keep fighting. Scott Gessler, a former Colorado secretary of state who is representing the campaign, said last week that it was “investigating some very unusual voting patterns and expect this election to head to a recount, one way or another.”
Gessler did not say what patterns the campaign was examining, Democracy Docket reported. Campaigns may request a recount at their own expense between Nov. 13 and Nov. 25.
Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, defended the count. “Colorado’s elections are safe, secure and accurate – and every voter’s voice will be heard,” she said in a statement cited by Democracy Docket.
A spokesman said the Boebert campaign had not contacted her office about its concerns.
The loss would end a turbulent run for one of the most recognizable members of the House GOP’s MAGA wing.
Boebert switched to the 4th District in 2024 after beating Democrat Adam Frisch by only 546 votes in the 3rd District in 2022, CNN noted.
Her ties to President Donald Trump were rocky this year. In May, Trump called her “weak-minded” and a “carpetbagger” after she backed the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files and campaigned for Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., The Denver Post reported.
Three days before the election, Trump endorsed her anyway, calling her “a MAGA Warrior.”
Laubacher, a former Republican who became a Democrat recently, far outraised Boebert and ran on affordability. She has described herself as “a very moderate person” and said she wants to roll back tariffs and end the war in Iran.
The district, which covers the Eastern Plains and parts of metro Denver, has sent a Democrat to Congress only once in the last 53 years, and only for one term.
Colorado Republicans have taken other losses. Rep. Gabe Evans lost the 8th District on election night, The Denver Post reported.
The Associated Press called the 5th District for Democrat Jessica Killin on Thursday and declared Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd the winner in the 3rd District on Friday.
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